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Maternal Instinct tells the story of Taylor Parker, a woman who faked a pregnancy for months, murdered her friend Reagan Simmons‑Hancock, and cut her unborn baby from her womb in an attempt to pass the child off as her own. On October 9, 2020, Reagan — eight months pregnant and just 21 years old — was attacked in her New Boston, Texas home by someone she believed was a friend. Parker fled with the baby, staged a roadside “birth,” and was arrested within hours.

The case is one of the most shocking examples of escalating deception turning into violence, and the documentary examines the lies, the investigation, the trial, and the community left reeling. Parker was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death in 2022.

*Correction: The baby in this story passed*

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Edited by: Wojciech, B

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At Dead Serious, I strive to tell stories in a truthful manner, although press media and other resources can not always be verified.

Case Sources:

https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/maternal-instinct-release-date-news

Dimmock, J. (Director). (2026). Maternal Instinct [Film]. Netflix. [1, 2]

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Social Media: dead_seriouspod

APPLE: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1896929129

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0QcspQIAcBaK2ZsoSzwYnE?si=2D6M514USTaYKXsJ8TKASw

Edited by: Wojciech, B

At Dead Serious, I strive to tell stories truthfully. Press media and other resources can not always be verified.