Texas woman convicted of killing pregnant mom and cutting the baby from her womb
10/03/2022 1:22 pm PDT
NEW BOSTON, Texas (TCD) -- A jury found a 29-year-old woman guilty of capital murder for the October 2020 murder of a pregnant woman and her unborn child.
According to KTAL/KMSS-TV, Taylor Parker was found guilty Monday, Oct. 3, in connection with the stabbing and strangulation death of Reagan Hancock. Parker reportedly then cut the baby, Braxlynn Sage Hancock, out of Reagan and took the child with her. Reagan’s 3-year-old daughter was reportedly home at the time of the murder.
The jury reportedly decided on the verdict in less than an hour. Parker’s trial will enter a second part in which a jury will determine whether Parker will face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to KTAL/KMSS.
Parker’s murder trial lasted about three weeks. Before killing Reagan and Braxlynn, Parker reportedly faked her pregnancy and went so far as to purchase a fake baby belly online. She even purchased fake sonograms as a way to prevent her boyfriend from leaving her. Parker could not physically have children due to a tubal ligation and a partial hysterectomy.
Reagan was killed Oct. 9, 2020. Her arrest affidavit said Reagan was found "on the ground, in the living room of the house face down with a large abundance of what appeared to be blood throughout the house."
Parker was pulled over that same day and was found "holding a newborn infant in her lap" as she drove. Braxlynn’s umbilical cord was reportedly coming out of Parker’s pants, and she was reportedly performing CPR on the child. They were both transported to a nearby hospital and medical personnel "determined Parker did not give birth to the child that was in the care of the hospital."
KTAL reports Dallas County Medical Examiner Dr. Melinda Flores testified at the trial Reagan was stabbed over 100 times, including 39 times on her scalp. A scalpel was also found in Reagan’s neck.
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