Witness says Sean did not love Baby Kate, wanted Ariel to disappear

Dan Ruba

By Rob Alway. Editor-in-Chief. 

LUDINGTON — Dan Ruba testified today that Sean Phillips told him that he did not love Baby Kate. At the time of Katherine “Baby Kate” Phillips’ June 29, 2011 disappearance, Ruba was in a romantic relationship with April Lange, mother of Baby Kate’s mother, Ariel Courtland.

“He really didn’t think Kate was his kid because he didn’t love her,” Ruba said. “That really stuck out to me.”

Defense attorney David Glancy asked Ruba how come he did not make that statement when he testified in Phillips’ 2012 unlawful imprisonment trial. Ruba said he wasn’t really sure.

However, prosecutor Donna Pendergast pointed out that Ruba made a statement to the police in July 2011 backing up today’s statement.

Ruba also testified that Sean had told him, while drinking some beers in a garage, that he could kill somebody and hide a body so no one could find it.

The subject of hiding a body came up while Sean was telling Ruba that he was upset with Ariel and that he hated her and would do anything to make her disappear.