A Mother’s Life Cut Short Inside a Motel Room

The tragic death of 32-year-old Roseberline Philippe has left the Elmsford, New York community shaken after police discovered her body in a bathtub inside Room 230 of the Days Inn on Valley Avenue on November 2, 2025. Officers were called around 4:30 p.m. after cleaning staff found Philippe unresponsive, leading to a homicide investigation that would quickly unravel the disturbing final hours of her life. Police later located the car belonging to 32-year-old Justin Bartley, Philippe’s boyfriend and the father of their two-year-old son, at a Bronx residence belonging to the mother of one of his other children. When approached by members of the Westchester District Attorney’s Office and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Bartley admitted they had fought, claiming Philippe had hit him as well.

Conflicting Stories and Disturbing Details Emerge

Bartley initially told authorities that Philippe was alive and sitting in the bathtub when he left the room. He added that any blood on his face was from a pimple and that damage inside the motel room came from him punching and kicking the walls in anger. During an interview two hours later at police headquarters, Bartley repeated that he had been extremely upset and injured himself on the walls. He also claimed Philippe had fought with her family the previous day at their White Plains apartment, resulting in her being forced to leave with their toddler before ending up in the motel. Bartley allegedly said that inside the room, Philippe climbed into the bathtub because she did not want him to leave, insisting again that she was alive when he walked out. However, police say surveillance footage showed Bartley leaving the motel with the two-year-old boy shortly before officers arrived to find Philippe’s lifeless body.

Murder Charges Filed as a Community Grieves

Following the discovery of Philippe’s body, investigators arrested Bartley and charged him with second-degree murder. On December 3, he was formally indicted on charges of murder and endangering the welfare of a child. During a brief court appearance, his attorney entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. The heartbreaking case has left Philippe’s family devastated, especially knowing her toddler son was present during what investigators believe was a violent and fatal assault. The community has been left grappling with the horror of a young mother’s life taken so brutally and the trauma now carried by a child who witnessed his mother’s final moments. Philippe’s death highlights the painful reality of domestic violence and the catastrophic consequences it can unleash, especially when young children are caught in the middle. As the legal proceedings continue, loved ones mourn the loss of a woman whose life ended far too soon, hoping justice will bring some measure of peace.