A mum from Michigan in the US has been accused of torturing and killing her pregnant 22-year-old daughter in a horror attack. Rebecca Park vanished at almost 39 weeks pregnant on November 3 after visiting her mother, Cortney Bartholomew, in Boon Township. Her body was found in the Huron-Manistee National Forest three weeks later, with prosecutors suggesting that the baby had been cut from her womb and was “not present” in the remote woodland.

Cortney, 40, was arrested alongside Rebecca’s stepfather, Brad, on Tuesday and charged with first-degree murder, torture and assault on a pregnant individual resulting in death, among other offences, The Sun reports. Prosecutor Johanna Carey alleged that the couple had “forced” Rebecca into a car, drove her into the woods, “stabbed her and forced her to lie on the ground while they cut her baby out”, killing both her and the unborn child.

Ms Carey said the attack was a “truly horrific homicide” and described Cortney as “evil personified”.

While the Michigan court was not given a motive for the alleged crime, investigators said the couple lured the 22-year-old to their home with the intention of killing her baby.

Rebecca’s body was discovered by her biological father, according to 9&10 News, after searching the area where her mobile phone was discovered.

The body of the unborn baby has not yet been found.

While both Cortney and Brad face eight counts, the latter also received a habitual offender notice which could see him jailed for life.

Rebecca’s half-sister Kimberly, 21, and her fiancee Richard Falor, 43, were also arrested hours after the body was discovered on unrelated charges, according to reports.

Kimberly faces charges of tampering with evidence, lying to police and filing a fake report, People reports, while Falor is being held on suspicion of delivering methamphetamine.