Netflix's Maternal Instinct Brings Back Taylor Parker To Limelight, Had Cut Child From Friend's Womb

Netflix has once again brought up one of the most harrowing crimes in the heart of Texas in recent history. Earlier, in 2022, Netflix docu-series, Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields, featured the unsolved murders of four women in Texas in the 80s and 90s. Now, a 2020 gruesome murder case grabbed the limelight as the OTT giant brought up a documentary feature film, Maternal Instinct. Directed by Jessica Dimmock, Maternal Instinct follows Taylor Parker, who was convicted of killing 21-year-old Reagan Simmons-Hancock in New Boston, Texas, in 2020.

Taylor Parker faked her own pregnancy for ten months

Taylor Parker first claimed that she was pregnant in August 2019. It is worth noting that Taylor met Wade Griffin in July 2019, and they began dating. Taylor claimed that she was expecting twin babies, but later she said that she had a miscarriage after being hit with a towing cable. In February 2020, she claimed that she was again pregnant and she was due in September 2020.

To make it seem real, Taylor arranged a maternity photoshoot and a gender reveal party involving a cow wearing a pink feather boa, indicating that she was supposed to give birth to a baby girl. Taylor pretended to have morning sickness. When Wade wanted to accompany Taylor to doctor appointments, she used to say that he could not go with her due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Taylor faked her own pregnancy for ten months using a silicone belly and forged ultrasounds.

Taylor Parker became friends with Reagan Hancock before brutally killing her

To make people believe that she was pregnant, Taylor became friends with a 21-year-old woman named Reagan Hancock. In early October 2020, Reagan was 35 weeks pregnant with her second daughter. Reagan was a mom to a 3-year-old daughter named Kynlee. She wanted to name her unborn child, Braxlynn Sage. Reagan deeply trusted Taylor, who had taken her wedding photos. She never expected that, just like her fake pregnancy, Taylor had faked friendship as well.

On the morning of October 9, 2020, Taylor reached Reagan’s house in New Boston, Texas. She brutally stabbed Reagan to death. According to the forensic reports, Taylor died with over 100 knife wounds and a fractured skull, among other injuries. Taylor had cut Reagan’s unborn child from her womb. Reagan’s 3-year-old daughter, Kynlee, who was in another room, was not harmed.

What happened when Taylor Parker tried to run away with Reagan Hancock's second child?

After brutally killing Reagan, Taylor tried to run away with the former’s second child, Braxlynn. She drove towards Oklahoma with the newborn baby. Near De Kalb, Texas, a state trooper stopped Taylor as she was driving recklessly. At the time, authorities found Taylor covered in blood. She claimed that she had just given birth on the side of the road. The moment was shown in Netflix’s documentary feature film, Maternal Instinct. Maternal Instinct’s trailer showed Taylor saying, "I need an ambulance because I started having my baby." Then the police officer was seen saying, "She’s carrying the baby in her lap."

Taylor was taken to a hospital where doctors examined her. They quickly became suspicious as Taylor’s body showed no signs that she had recently been pregnant or given birth. Thus, the doctors told police, "It doesn't look like she had a baby." Investigators then went deeper into the case and found that Taylor’s claims were false. They discovered that Taylor had actually killed her friend, Reagan and then tried to flee with the newborn baby, pretending the baby was hers. Tragically, the baby, Braxlynn, died shortly after arriving at the hospital due to a shortage of oxygen.

Where is Taylor Parker now?

Taylor Parker was arrested immediately after the doctors informed the cops that she didn’t show any sign that she had recently been pregnant or given birth. In November 2022, Taylor was sentenced to death and became one of the few women on Texas' death row. Eventually, she appealed the sentence, but it was upheld in November 2025. However, as of now, an execution date has not been set. Taylor is currently being held on death row at the Patrick L. O'Daniel Unit prison in Gatesville, Texas.

Pic credit: Maternal Instinct Netflix/YT

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