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Published 10:53 12 Jun 2026 GMT
A new Netflix documentary is set to revisit a deeply disturbing case involving a Texas woman who was sentenced to death after being discovered in a car with a newborn baby while hiding a horrifying secret.
The film, titled Maternal Instinct, will be the latest addition to Netflix’s true crime catalogue and is expected to bring renewed attention to the case of Taylor Parker. Interest in true crime stories remains high, particularly following recent releases like The Crash, which focused on Mackenzie Shirilla and sparked widespread discussion.
Parker’s case stands out as one of the most shocking in recent years. She is currently one of only seven women on death row in Texas and was described in court as an “evil piece of flesh demon.”
Initially pulled over in 2020 for dangerous driving, Parker was covered in blood and had a newborn baby in her car, still attached to the umbilical cord.
She claimed she had just given birth by the roadside and was rushing to the hospital. However, that account was quickly unraveled.
Medical staff soon determined there were no signs that Parker had recently given birth.
It was then revealed that the blood belonged to her friend, 21-year-old Reagan Simmons-Hancock. Investigators found that Parker had murdered her earlier that day in an extremely violent attack, stabbing her more than 100 times before removing the baby from her womb using a scalpel. The baby did not survive.
Reagan’s three-year-old daughter was later discovered unharmed in the home, hiding under her bed covers.
Parker was subsequently found guilty of murder and kidnapping and sentenced to death, where she remains today. Evidence presented during the trial showed she had fabricated an elaborate story about being pregnant, even telling her boyfriend she was expecting and staging a gender reveal party. In reality, she had previously undergone a hysterectomy.
The prosecution detailed the brutality of the attack, which involved 113 sharp force injuries and both a knife and a hammer.
The official cause of death was ruled as “homicide from traumatic extraction from the uterus with both sharp and blunt force injuries.”
Parker’s defence team did not deny that she committed the killing. Instead, they challenged Texas law, arguing that a fetus should not be considered an “individual.”
They claimed the kidnapping charge, which contributed to the death penalty, was invalid because the baby had already died before being taken. This argument was ultimately rejected.
Following the sentencing, Reagan’s family expressed a sense of relief. Her mother, Jessica Brooks, said: “We are just glad justice has been served, not only for our family, our friends, the prosecution team, our community.”
Her sister, Emily Simmons, added: “I’m overwhelmed with happiness it’s over because she has been such a burden in our life for so long now that I haven’t been able to think about my sister without thinking about her.”
Published 11:31 12 Nov 2022 GMT
A woman has been handed the death sentence after she was convicted of murdering her pregnant friend and cutting out her baby to take as her own.
Taylor Parker, 29, was found guilty last month of killing the young expectant mother, and on Wednesday jurors in Texas decided she should be given the death penalty for the crime, CNN reports.
Parker killed 21-year-old Reagan Simmons-Hancock in October 2020, striking her in the head and slashing her before "cutting her abdomen, hip to hip" to remove the infant, who ultimately died.
The jury had deliberated for just over an hour when they returned with a sentence, according to the Texarkana Gazette. The same jury found Parker guilty of capital murder on October 3.
Per the outlet, after the victim impact statements from the family were read out, Judge John Tidwell told the bailiff: "Take her to death row."
The court was told that Simmons-Hancock, who was 35 weeks pregnant at the time, was still alive after the brutal attack - which happened at her home while her three-year-old daughter was there.
Simmons-Hancock's mother Jessica Brooks branded Parker an "evil piece of flesh demon" in a statement in court.
She told her: "My baby was alive still fighting for her babies when you tore her open and ripped her baby from her stomach."
The fatal incident took place in New Boston, 160 miles northeast of Dallas. Parker had been pulled over by a state trooper that morning for speeding and dangerous driving.
The baby was in Parker's lap, with the now-convict having tried to make it appear as though its umbilical cord had come from her pants and that she had just given birth.
The baby was taken to a hospital in Oklahoma, where she was declared dead.
It became clear at the hospital that it was not true that Parker had given birth to the baby.
According to prosecutors, leading up to the murder, Parker made herself look like she was expecting a little one, faked ultrasounds and staged a gender-reveal party.
During the trial, a state police investigator told the jury that Parker had carried out a great deal of research on how to successfully convince people that she was pregnant. On the day of the murder, she watched footage of the physical exam of a baby delivered pre-term at 35 weeks.
The victim's husband, Homer Hancock, had explained that his wife was "somewhat friends" with Parker and that Parker had taken their wedding and engagement pictures.
The convicted killer's legal team argued that she had been let down by family and friends who failed to challenge her about the false pregnancy.
"There was no safety net when everyone saw the wheels were off," defence attorney Jeff Harrelson said.
The jurors in Bowie County were shown a harrowing image featuring Simmons-Hancock's bleeding body as the prosecution made its closing statements on Wednesday.
Life without possibility of parole was also on the cards for Parker but the jury decided she must join death row. Her attorney said they plan to appeal.
Published 13:24 21 May 2026 GMT
Netflix viewers who were left gripped by The Crash documentary about Mackenzie Shirilla are now being urged to watch another devastating true-crime film immediately afterwards.
The Crash has climbed to the number one spot on Netflix, with audiences becoming obsessed with the shocking story surrounding a fatal car accident involving three young people, resulting in a disturbing murder investigation.
With Shirilla now serving a life sentence for double-murder, the documentary explores the central question that has divided viewers since the case first made headlines: was it a tragic accident, or something far more sinister?
But once viewers finish The Crash, many true-crime fans are recommending American Murder: The Family Next Door as the next must-watch.
The gut-wrenching documentary follows the murders of Shanann Watts and her daughters, Bella and Celeste, after they vanished from their Colorado home in 2018. Suspicion quickly turned toward Shanann’s husband, Chris Watts.
Seven years later, the case still horrifies audiences, particularly because Watts initially presented himself as a devastated husband pleading for help to find his missing family.
In August 2018, Watts murdered his pregnant wife Shanann, who was 15 weeks pregnant, along with their daughters Bella, four, and Celeste, three.
He later admitted to strangling Shanann and smothering the children before hiding their bodies inside oil tanks at the site where he worked.
Now 40 years old, Watts is serving a life sentence at the Dodge Correctional Institution after pleading guilty to the murders.
The documentary also revisits the intense public fascination surrounding the case, including renewed interest in Nichol Kessinger, who was having an affair with Watts around the time of the killings.
Kessinger has largely disappeared from public view in the years since, with online communities continuing to speculate about where she is now.
Despite pleading guilty, Watts has also repeatedly tried to shift blame for the murders over the years.
“The horrific nature of the murders, combined with the father-of-three’s initial portrayal of himself as a desperate husband searching for his missing family, captivated the public,” the documentary notes.
“But in the years since, Watts has attempted to deflect responsibility for the crime, even going so far as to blame others for his actions.”
Published 16:13 20 May 2026 GMT
Mackenzie Shirilla's mom, Natalie, gave a full victim impact speech during her daughter's trial, which was cut short in the Netflix documentary.
The Crash was only released on Friday (May 15), but the true crime doc ranks at No.1 on the streaming platform.
It covers the murder case surrounding Mackenzie Shrilla, then 17, who was found guilty of killing two men after intentionally crashing her car into a brick wall at over 100 mph (160 km/h).
She was convicted of murder in 2023, a year after committing the crime, as a judge determined that she had crashed the car on purpose in a premeditated murder.
Shirilla was convicted of 12 felony charges and sentenced to two concurrent life sentences, with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
However, viewers may have noticed that one part of the documentary was cut short - Natalie Shrilla's speech.
The true crime documentary includes a short clip of Natalie, with the 30-second clip being cut from a full six-minute speech.
She spoke about her daughter's social media use, her Halloween outing, and other topics, which were missed in the documentary aired by millions.
Here is the statement in full.
“I just want to say to the families that I am broken, lost, and my heart hurts for everyone, okay. Davion was her good friend, and Dom was the love of her life, and he was part of our family, okay. I’m just so sorry that this happened, and we are heartbroken," she began.
The mom continued: “Your honour, this was a terrible, tragic nightmare that she has no memory of, and she will never emotionally or physically recover from it. She almost died too, and we ask you, please do not run the sentences consecutively because it was family, and we all love each other.
“That morning of the accident, I got a phone call that there was an accident. I didn’t know who was in the car, the names had not been confirmed yet… I called Dom over and over and over again, but he didn’t answer the phone. I called his mom, and she didn’t answer the phone either.
“Then she called and was like, ‘What do you mean, my son is dead?’ and I was like, ‘We loved him so much', and we hung up the phone,” she stated.
Continued below...
Natalie added: “That post, I commented on that because somebody had called her a murderer.
“He’s not a murderer, she didn’t even have her phone at that point, the police still had. Not because of the modelling opportunity, who cares about that?”
The mom then claimed: “For three months after the accident, she would only wear his clothes. She would only eat the snacks he ate, and she would only listen to the music he wrote. She was lying in bed for three months crying, there was a shrine of him next to her with photos and things that he liked.
”Her friends asked her if she wanted to go trick-or-treating for Halloween, and it was at OU. And she didn’t even want to go, she couldn’t even walk yet, barely.
“So I was like ‘Baby, please go. It’s Halloween, you’ve been lying for three months crying, and you have just a moment of fun’. She just needed a second of fun after losing her whole world. That was us,” Natalie concluded.
This exchange was included in the documentary, as the judge interjected to point out: “I’m hearing an awful lot about your daughter; I’m not hearing much about the two dead people.”
Natalie replied: “Dominic, okay, I’m asking you for leniency because this was a tragic accident that she does not remember. Davion, he’s a new friend, I’m so sorry.”
“What does that mean? His life is worthless?” the judge asked.
Natalie quickly backtracked, claiming that all involved "loved each other," which the judge highlighted was "part of the problem."
"It was a problem when they all got into a car together, and two of them ended up dead," the judge pointed out, and while Natalie called it a "tragic accident," he disagreed.
Published 10:29 23 Dec 2023 GMT
A pregnant Utah woman has been killed in a horror crash while driving to see family for Christmas.
The devastating car crash took place on Wednesday (December 20) near Wickenburg, Maricopa County.
Chloe Stott, 24, had been en route to Arizona alongside her husband, Parker, with the hopes of surprising their families with the joyful news of their pregnancy, the Daily Mail reports.
As well as killing Chloe, the crash also left Parker severely injured, requiring the amputation of his leg.
Per KSLTV, the Arizona Department of Public Safety has reported that the crash occurred at 8:18PM on southbound US 93, roughly 60 miles northwest of Phoenix, Arizona. The couple had reportedly collided with a white Volvo commercial truck tractor. after failing to pass another vehicle in a legal passing zone.
The mom-to-be and her unborn child were reportedly killed on impact. Parker was subsequently airlifted to the Arizona Burn Center with critical injuries and burns, and required the amputation of his leg. The driver of the Volvo was also taken to hospital as a precaution.
According to a GoFundMe set up by a friend of the couple, Chloe and Parker had planned to share the news of their pregnancy with their loved ones during the Christmas holidays.
"They had just found out they were pregnant and were so excited to be parents and share the news with their loved ones over Christmas," the fundraiser states. "The purpose of the GoFundMe is to provide the necessary financial support for a young family whose lives changed in the blink of an eye. Medical bills, financial support and funeral services among many other reasons."
As of this writing, the campaign has raised more than $165,000.
On the day of the crash, Stott had taken to Instagram to share a loving photo of her and her husband, with the caption: “You n Me forever Parker.”
Chloe was a business owner, operating the popular Clover Skin Bar in Lindon, northern Utah. Her skincare expertise was popular among numerous influencers and clients.
As a result of this tragic incident, the Clover Skin Bar announced on Instagram that it would be closed for the week due to "an unexpected tragedy."
The page has also been flooded with heartfelt tributes for Chloe, with one person writing: "We will forever remember and honor you sweet girl. You had such a huge impact on those around you."
A second person commented: "Such a tragedy [...] thank you for being such an inspiration sending my condolences and prayers to your families! So sorry for this tremendous loss."
Our thoughts go out to Chloe's family, friends, and loved ones at this time, and wish Parker the very best for his recovery.
Published 17:37 25 Feb 2023 GMT
A pregnant prisoner being held prior to her murder trial has argued that her unborn child is being unlawfully detained.
As reported by The Mirror, 24-year-old Florida woman Natalia Harrell is currently facing trial for the fatal shooting of 28-year-old mom-of-three Gladys Yvette Borcela.
Borcela was killed last summer after she and Harrell got into a heated argument in an Uber taxi. Borcela was then fatally shot by Harrell, who was six weeks pregnant at the time.
She has since pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, and claimed to have acted in self-defense "in fear of her life and the life of her unborn child".
Now, as the mom-to-be awaits her murder trial at the Miami-Dade Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, her attorney, William Norris, is arguing that the unborn child's rights are being infringed upon and it is being unlawfully detained.
Norris has since launched an emergency petition after believing that the unborn child has a "lack of reasonable and necessary prenatal care". He adds that Harrell has not had an OB-GYN appointment since October and nobody has determined when the child is expected to be born.
Harrell's "unborn child is a person as defined under the Florida Constitution and United States Constitution", Norris writes in a legal submission.
Speaking to The Washington Post, the attorney added: "An unborn child has rights independent of its mother, even though it’s still in the womb. The unborn child has been deprived of due process of law in this incarceration. You simply have to have the unborn child as a factor in the equation."
In an official filing, Norris - addressing the baby as "UNBORN CHILD" - writes: "UNBORN CHILD will be likely brought into this world on the concrete floor of the prison cell, without the aid of qualified medical physicians and paramedics, and in the presence of violent criminals.
"The State has placed the UNBORN CHILD in such inherently dangerous environment by placing the UNBORN CHILD in close proximity to violent criminal offenders."
Harrell has also previously argued that she should be released due to the fact that her "unborn child is innocent", per The Mirror.
In response, officials for Miami-Dade Corrections have stated that all inmates in its custody are provided with necessary healthcare in partnership with the Jackson Health System.
The father of the unborn child, Michael O'Brien, has also told NBC Miami that he has frown concerned for the his baby's wellbeing, saying: "I don't want the baby to be born prematurely or low birth weight. The conditions are terrible and I feel she's not getting the pre-natal care she should be getting."
Borcela's mom, Yvette Rivera, has since stated on Facebook that Harrell is attempting to "get a Get Out Of Jail Free card".
This is not the first time the parent of an unborn child has argued that their fetus should be granted the same rights as everybody else following the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Last summer, a pregnant Texas mom challenged a $275 ticket after she was fined for driving in the HOV lane.
By law, in order to be legally accepted in the lanes, at least one passenger must be in the car accompanying the driver.
Despite being 34 weeks pregnant at the time of the stop, the officer told her that her unborn child did not count as another passenger, but she argued that their unborn baby should have been treated as a "living child".
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