Her Injuries Were Posted On FB! Aubrey’s Nurse Mother & Boyfriend Arrested For Her Murder!

The Tragic Case of Aubrey Marie Stowers
A Suspicious Death and Subsequent Arrests
Arrests have been made in connection with the suspicious death of a 5-year-old girl. She died in June in Greenup County, Kentucky, and half a year later, Kentucky State Police announced that the girl’s mother and the mother’s boyfriend were arrested on murder charges.

Aubrey was found dead on June 17, 2023, at her home on Oak Street in Wurtland. Months later, on a Thursday, Aubrey’s mother, Rachel Wadell, and her boyfriend, Christopher Stiltner, were taken into custody without incident. The indictments for both individuals are worded identically: they are charged with committing murder by engaging in conduct that created a grave risk of death to another person, thereby causing the death of a 5-year-old child due to multiple blunt force injuries.

The Family Background
Wurtland, Kentucky, is a small town bordering Ohio, situated on the southern banks of the Ohio River. It is where Rachel Wadell, a single mother, lived what seemed to be a normal life in a modest home with her four children. Rachel graduated from nursing school in 2012 and was employed as an ER nurse at St. Mary’s in Ironton, Ohio.

Rachel was previously married to Michael Dean Stowers, the father of all four of her children. While the details of their separation and custody arrangements remain unclear, a review of Rachel’s social media suggests she was the primary caregiver. Prior to meeting her new boyfriend, Rachel appeared to be a typical, loving mother. Her children looked well-dressed, clean, and happy.

Remembering Aubrey
Aubrey Marie Stowers was a beautiful, blue-eyed little girl born on April 18, 2018, in Portsmouth, Ohio. Her eyes were bursting with life, and her smile could warm anyone’s heart.

Aubrey’s Life and Loves:

Hobbies: She loved riding her bike and dancing to music.

Personality: She was outgoing, never met a stranger, and would often walk right up to people to start a conversation, telling them she loved them before leaving.

Family: She deeply admired her older brother and sisters, who loved her immensely.

Her Best Friend: Aubrey’s greatest comfort was her Bulldog, Diesel. She loved cuddling with him, and one can only hope that his presence gave her brief moments of safety.

Aubrey was looking forward to starting kindergarten in the fall, but her life and dreams were violently ripped away.

The Boyfriend: Christopher “Clay” Stiltner
Rachel’s first public post with her partner, Christopher Stiltner (who goes by “Clay” on Facebook), was on December 24, 2021.

A deep dive into Clay’s social media reveals several red flags:

Misogynistic Content: His feed consisted largely of crass memes and jokes that were often offensive toward women.

Lack of Affection: Despite Rachel posting numerous photos of them together, Clay had no pictures of Rachel on his profile, nor did he like or comment on her posts.

Disturbing Post-Death Behavior: Clay’s last post before Aubrey’s death was on June 15, 2023. He didn’t post again until November 6, 2023. When he did return to social media, there was no mention of Aubrey or condolences to her family. Instead, he posted entirely about himself, claiming he was “staying strong” and had the “clearest head in a while.”

A Callous Tribute: A week later, he posted about how his dog had been a “rock the size of a glacier” for him. It is a chilling juxtaposition: while he leaned on his dog for comfort, little Aubrey had only her dog to lean on while the adults in her life were slowly killing her.

It was also revealed during court proceedings that Stiltner has a previous criminal conviction involving the abuse of a minor, which was later amended to a misdemeanor.

Disturbing Social Media Posts and Hidden Injuries
Looking back at Rachel’s Facebook page, a cryptic and horrific story unfolds. Going back to 2019, Aubrey appeared to be a healthy, happy child. However, after Rachel began dating Clay, she started posting frequently—and the photos she shared of Aubrey showed alarming, blatant indicators of severe physical abuse.

In numerous publicly posted photos, Aubrey can be seen suffering from:

Bruising in the creases of her arms and marks on her wrists, resembling bind marks.

Stitches over her eye and subsequent healing scars.

Multiple black eyes and severe facial bruising, often partially concealed by sunglasses.

Scraped nostrils with dried blood.

Severe bruising all over her legs and arms.

Discolored, extremely chapped lips and dark bags under her eyes, indicating deep fatigue or dehydration.

It raises a deeply disturbing question: Why was a mother posting photos of her severely injured child online? Speculation points to several theories—perhaps it was a desperate cry for help in a controlling relationship, or perhaps there was a more sinister, sadistic element at play.

Systemic Failures and Ignored Warnings
How did the severe, prolonged abuse of a 5-year-old go unnoticed?

Comments left by locals and acquaintances on social media paint a picture of systemic failure. While these are unverified claims, they suggest a troubling narrative:

Ignored Pleas: Several commenters claim that Aubrey’s older brother actively told people what was happening—reporting that his mother and her boyfriend would beat his sister and then go shopping.

CPS Involvement: Multiple comments allege that Child Protective Services (CPS) was involved but that Rachel managed to fly under the radar because she was an ER nurse and a mandated reporter herself.

Workplace Blindness: Some claim her hospital allowed her to continue working in the ER despite having an open CPS case.

“Scholars note there is a statistically greater potential for instability in homes where adults and children who have no biological connection reside. Children living in homes with unrelated adults are nearly 50 times as likely to die of inflicted injuries as children living with two biological parents.”

There are also allegations that Rachel initially claimed Aubrey simply “collapsed” and even heavily hinted that her son might have had something to do with it—a potentially vile defense strategy to shift the blame.

Court Proceedings and the Path to Justice
Rachel Wadell (36) and Christopher Stiltner (38) were booked into the Greenup County Detention Center. At their arraignment before Greenup Circuit Judge Brian McLoud, the emotional divide between the two was apparent. Stiltner, dressed in a blazing orange jumpsuit, sat aloof and stared straight ahead. Wadell appeared anxious, gazing at her shackled feet and quietly sobbing.

Defense attorney Sebastian Joy, representing both, waived the formal arraignment and entered not-guilty pleas on their behalf.

Bond Requests: The defense requested a $50,000 bond for Wadell (citing a lack of criminal history) and $100,000 for Stiltner, arguing Aubrey’s murder was “not an intentional act.”

Prosecution Pushback: Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Joe Merkel cited the medical examiner’s reports and Stiltner’s previous minor-abuse conviction, requesting $500,000 each.

The Ruling: Judge McLoud set bond at $200,000 cash or property for each of them.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 18, 2024, with a trial tentatively set for August. If convicted by a jury, the couple faces life in prison.

This case is an infuriating tragedy. A beautiful baby girl endured horrendous pain while the adults tasked with her care participated in her brutalization. It is heartbreaking that Aubrey’s broken little body had to finally give up before anyone would listen. Now, we must be her voice and demand the justice she deserves.