UPDATED: Cumberland Man Charged With Sex Offenses Indicted, NOW CHARGED WITH FETAL HOMICIDE

From the Bell County Sheriff's Department -

Christopher Shipman - BCDC

GRAPHIC CONTENT - November 18th Update: In a news release, the Bell County Sheriff's Department states that Detective Hunter Luttrell has additionally charged Shipman with Fetal Homicide - 1st degree.

The complaint warrant states that on or about October 28, 2019, Shipman "intentionally" caused the death of an unborn child. The victim was fourteen weeks pregnant at the time. Shipman is accused of punching and kicking the woman in the stomach until she had labor pains and the child was aborted in the floor. This happened in the presence of the woman's 5-year-old child.

Shipman is then accused of taking the remains of the child and disposing of them in the toilet.

This charge has a bond of $250,000.

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A man arrested in Harlan County in August of this year is back in custody after a Bell County Grand Jury indicted him.

The investigation that led to the charges against 44-year-old Christopher Shipman of Cumberland, Kentucky was initiated by Sgt. Jody Risner and Detective Hunter Luttrell ofthe Bell County Sheriff's Department.

With the assistance of several law enforcement agencies at the time, Shipman was arrested and taken into custody on August 21, 2025.

The sheriff's department reports that he was served an indictment warrant Monday night, November 17th in Harlan County, with the assistance of the Evarts Police Department, Harlan Police Department, and the Harlan County Sheriff's Department.

Shipman has been indicted on charges of (2) two counts of sodomy - 1st degree - victim under the age of 12, (2) two counts of sexual abuse - 1st degree - victim under the age of 12, and strangulation - 1st degree.

Christopher Shipman is back in the Bell County Detention Center.

Additional charges are pending against Christopher Shipman.