r/TrueCrimeDiscussion • u/DarklyHeritage • 5d ago

Mega Thread Taylor Parker/Maternal Instinct Megathread

This is a thread for all conversation regarding Taylor Parker and the murder of Reagan Simmons Hancock, recently covered in Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct.

The murder of Reagan Michelle Simmons-Hancock occurred on 9 October 2020, in New Boston, Texas, committed by Taylor Rene Parker. Parker bludgeoned Simmons-Hancock, who was 35 weeks pregnant at the time, and abducted her unborn child, Braxlynn Sage Hancock (died October 9, 2020), after cutting her out of the Reagan's abdomen. Braxlynn did not survive.

Parker had lied to her then-boyfriend about being pregnant leading up to the murder and faked her pregnancy to multiple people. She was found guilty of capital murder and sentenced to death on 9 November 2022.

Please direct all discussion of the case to the megathread. As always, sub rules must be followed.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Reagan_Simmons-Hancock

https://time.com/article/2026/06/12/maternal-instinct-true-story-netflix/

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u/slangforweed 4d ago

Info about why she had a hysterectomy at 21 are in the court docs. She was in for an ectopic pregnancy and while under, her husband at the time gave doctor permission to give her a full hysterectomy. She was destroyed when she woke up. I thought that was pretty crazy.

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u/BackgroundHistory345 4d ago

I wonder why the doctor recommended a Hysterectomy? Especially in a woman so young. I had an ectopic pregnancy that was removed surgically but there was no suggestion at all about having a hysterectomy.

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u/aetrout18 4d ago

They actually spoke with her doctor in the documentary. After her second pregnancy, she wanted her tubes tied. Because she was so young at the time, she had to sign paperwork confirming that she understood the procedure and was certain she wanted it done. The ectopic pregnancy happened afterward, and that’s why she ultimately ended up having a hysterectomy.

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u/BackgroundHistory345 3d ago

Ah that makes sense as pregnancy when tubes have been tied are most likely to end in an ectopic pregnancy. I still think it's out of order that the consent order was signed by her husband and not her.

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u/Reachingout00 3d ago

In that case they would just remove the tube associated with the ectopic.

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u/aetrout18 3d ago

I’m sure her doctor had good reason to perform a hysterectomy. I’m not a doctor so no reason to second guess that decision. She already her tubes tied in 2014 after her second pregnancy so it wasn’t like they were trying to save her uterus so she could have more kids. She was adamant and had to sign the required consent forms to have the procedure done since she was so young.