DUNBAR, PA – Authorities ended the search for a missing Fayette County child Wednesday, after the heartbreaking discovery of the body of 9-year-old Renesmay Eutsey in the Youghiogheny River and swiftly filed homicide charges against her foster mother.
According to investigators, Renesmay vanished from her Dunbar residence early Wednesday. After an urgent search, her body was found partially submerged along the riverbank near Smithton, roughly 20 miles from where she lived.
Kourtney Eutsey, 31, is accused of homicide and a raft of related charges, including child endangerment, abuse of a corpse, aggravated assault, and tampering with evidence. Officials allege she was responsible for Renesmay’s care since 2019 and was also fostering three other children, ages 7, 4 and 2, who were removed from the home after the investigation began.
The case broke open when one of the children living in the home approached troopers as they prepared a search warrant. Tearfully, the child told authorities she would never see her sister again because she “was in heaven.”
Further questioning of the children revealed troubling details. According to police interviews, one child reported overhearing the adults in the home discussing plans to take Renesmay to a river at some distance. The child also described a scene in which Renesmay was heard crying and in distress before allegedly being kicked in the stomach. When this incident was witnessed, police say the other adult in the house retaliated by punching the child who had seen what happened.
In the aftermath, police reports indicate that Renesmay was seen unresponsive, her lips “white,” and she appeared as if she was sleeping while enclosed in a bag.
When investigators confronted Kourtney Eutsey, she claimed the child began choking after vomiting. She stated that panic set in and she failed to call emergency services, allegedly concerned about Renesmay’s frail condition and previous injuries, including recent burns.
Authorities say Kourtney Eutsey admitted to placing the girl’s body in a bag, driving to the river, and abandoning her remains by the shore. Search and rescue teams had initially hoped for a different outcome, but Fayette County officials described the case as devastating for all involved.
Renesmay’s death came after what officials say was evidence of prolonged neglect and abuse. The girl weighed only 45 pounds at the time of her death, with injuries that appeared to be consistent with cigarette burns, and a pattern of mistreatment corroborated by the testimony of other children in the house.
As the investigation continues, authorities are preparing for additional charges. Officials stress that discrepancies in early interviews and conflicting accounts raised significant concern, ultimately leading to the tragic discovery.
Three other children who were living in the home have since been placed in protective custody. The Fayette County District Attorney emphasized the seriousness and emotional toll of the case, describing the young victim’s ordeal as haunting.
Renesmay Eutsey’s killing has left an indelible mark on her family and the community. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the events that led to her tragic death.