Suvechha Sarkar
In October 2020, the community of New Boston, Texas, was completely shaken to its core when 21-year-old mother, Reagan Michelle Hancock, was killed in her home, and her unborn baby was cut out of her. Unfortunately, the baby was declared dead at the hospital. A swift investigation led the authorities to Reagan’s wedding photographer, Taylor Rene Park. The heartbreaking case comes into focus in Netflix’s ‘Maternal Instinct.’ It explores the details surrounding the case and a string of betrayals and lies. Furthermore, the episode features interviews with Reagan’s loved ones, Taylor’s former friends, her former boyfriend, and other individuals related to the case.
Taylor Parker Drew Suspicion When Hospital Staff Found No Signs of Childbirth
On December 8, 1992, Shona Prior and her partner gave birth to their daughter, Taylor Rene Parker. When she was 17, she welcomed her first child and, shortly after, gave birth to her second. After completing her education, she began working as a Front Office Coordinator at Express Employment Professionals. According to reports, Taylor was eventually fired from her job. Subsequently, she established her own photography business, PM Photography, specializing in events such as weddings and maternity shoots. In July 2019, she met Wade Griffin, and they began dating soon after. Three months later, Taylor moved in with him, and not long after, she claimed that she was pregnant. Things took a turn on October 9, 2020, when a pregnant New Boston, Texas woman, Reagan Michelle Hancock, was found dead in her home.
According to reports, the killer had cut out her unborn baby, Braxlynn Sage Hancock, from her womb before fleeing the scene. The focus turned to Taylor when she was pulled over just outside De Kalb, Texas, for driving erratically on the highway. Meanwhile, she reportedly called 911 and claimed that she had gone into labor and had already given birth to her child in her car. According to reports, when officials checked inside, they found an unresponsive baby on her lap with the umbilical cord still attached. At the scene, she claimed that she was driving to a hospital in Idabel, Oklahoma, to meet her husband. Court records state that when Taylor and the baby were rushed to the hospital, the baby was pronounced dead.
Further reports suggest that after conducting several examinations on Taylor, the medical staff informed the authorities that they found no signs of her having given birth to the child. According to official reports, when investigators questioned her in the hospital, she insisted that the baby was hers and refused to undergo a vaginal examination. In the meantime, forensic experts at Reagan’s home spoke with her family and learned that Taylor had been Reagan’s wedding photographer in September 2019, and that was the first time they had met. Investigative reports state that Reagan’s family informed officials that Reagan and Taylor had developed a close friendship and that Taylor was aware of the 21-year-old’s pregnancy.
Multiple Pieces of Evidence Helped Investigators Arrest Taylor Parker
On October 9, 2020, when Taylor was still at the hospital, she was arrested and charged with capital murder, murder, and kidnapping. When Wade arrived at the hospital, officials took him to the station for questioning. According to police records, he told investigators that he should have believed his family members and friends who had told him that Taylor wasn’t pregnant. In his statements, he reportedly informed law enforcement that several of Taylor’s friends and family members had informed Wade and his loved ones that Taylor wouldn’t be able to have a baby because she had a hysterectomy after the birth of her second child. According to reports, Taylor had organized a baby shower and claimed to everyone that she was due to give birth on September 22, 2020.
As per official reports, Wade told detectives that whenever he questioned her about the suspicions, she alleged that Shona was spreading false information about her. Soon, it came to light that Taylor had told her boyfriend and his family she was set to receive millions in inheritance money from her grandmother, but alleged that her mother wanted to stop it, according to records. Further reports indicate that upon searching Wade’s home, investigators reportedly found multiple phones that Taylor had used to contact real estate agents about the purchase of several million-dollar properties. Court records state that Taylor pretended to be her mother and made several false accusations against Shona.
According to investigative reports, officials examined Taylor’s digital devices, including her phone and laptop, and found that she had conducted several searches on topics such as childbirth, pregnancy, and newborn care. Her internet history reportedly disclosed that she had watched videos about C-sections and content related to a 35-week pregnancy like Reagan’s. Investigators also learned that on October 7, Taylor had spent the entire day with the 21-year-old. When Taylor was questioned, she initially claimed that when she made the incision, Reagan was speaking to her and asked her to remove the baby, per reports.
Taylor Parker is Currently on Death Row at a Texas Correctional Facility
Following her arrest, Taylor Rene Parker was held in jail without bond. Her jury trial commenced in September 2022, during which the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence before the court. They reportedly introduced multiple witnesses, including Shona and Wade, who testified against Taylor. The prosecution argued that Taylor meticulously planned the crime for months, which is why she maintained her relationship with Reagan. They pointed out that she had faked a pregnancy, although it was medically impossible for her due to her hysterectomy.
Court records state that medical experts testified that Braxlynn was alive when she was removed from her mother’s womb, suggesting that the defendant kidnapped her. On the other hand, the defense did not dispute Taylor’s involvement in the acts described by prosecutors, but contended that Braxlynn wasn’t alive when she was removed from Reagan’s body. They further claimed that the defendant was facing mental health issues and neurological problems. In October 2022, Taylor was convicted of capital murder. Ultimately, Taylor was sentenced to death by lethal injection on November 9, 2022.
Following that, the defense appealed Taylor’s judgment, claiming that the evidence was insufficient to prove the kidnapping element for capital murder and that extreme pretrial publicity prevented her from receiving a fair trial. On November 6, 2025, the Appellate Court affirmed the Trial Court’s decision. Recent reports suggest that the defense petitioned the Supreme Court, but the court declined to take the case in May 2026. As of writing, Taylor remains on death row at Patrick L. O’Daniel Correctional Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
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