Ludington Police officer testifies about finding Baby Kate’s clothes in father’s pockets.

Ludington Police Officer Tony Kuster.

Ludington Police officer testifies about finding Baby Kate’s clothes in father’s pockets.

#BabyKate

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief, with contributions by our news partner, WZZM TV-13.

LUDINGTON — The second week of the 51st Circuit Court trial of Sean Phillips, accused of killing his daughter Katherine “Baby Kate” Phillips, continued Monday, Oct. 3, at the Mason County Courthouse.

The prosecution called Ludington Police officer Tony Custer to the stand to testify. Kuster told the 14 jurors about his efforts to locate Phillips on June 29, 2011, following the disappearance of Phillips’ daughter, Katherine.

Her body has never been found; Phillips is charged with open murder in her death.

Jurors learned that as police questioned Phillips at his parent’s Victory Township home about Katherine’s whereabouts, Phillips said he wasn’t telling them the whole truth — they found Kate’s clothes jammed into the pocket of his shorts.

In the trunk of his car, also parked at the Millerton Road house, police located her car seat and diaper bag.

The search started right after Ariel Courtland reported Phillips drove away from the Birch Lake Apartments complex on East Tinkham Avenue in Ludington, with their daughter “Baby Kate” in his car. Kuster said about two hours later, Phillips was located at his parents home in Victory Township.

The trial is expected to last for the rest of this week and next, too.