A woman was sentenced to death for killing a pregnant mother she knew and cutting her baby out to take him as her own.
Taylor Parker, 29, was sentenced last month of the murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock and a jury on Wednesday Texas gave her the death penalty.
He killed the 21-year-old in October 2020, beating her in the head and cutting her off before “cutting her abdomen, hip to hip” to remove the baby.
Prosecutors said Ms. Simmons-Hancock, who was 35 weeks pregnant, was still alive after the attack, which occurred at her home while her three-year-old daughter was there.
The unborn child did not survive.
In a court statement, Ms. Simmons-Hancock’s mother Jessica Brooks called Parker an “evil demon of flesh.”
He told her, “My baby was alive and was still fighting for her babies when you ripped her and you ripped the baby out of her stomach.”
The murder took place in New Boston, 160 miles (258 km) northeast of Dallas.
Parker was stopped the same morning for speeding and erratic driving.
The baby was found in her womb with her umbilical cord appearing to come out of her pants in an attempt to make it look like she had just given birth.
It was only when they were both taken to the hospital that the horrifying reality began to emerge.
Prosecutors said that before the murder, Parker made herself look pregnant, simulated ultrasound scans, and threw a gender reveal party.
Read more news from the US:
Musk says Twitter “could risk bankruptcy”
Trump tries to wipe out a possible presidential rival
Jennifer Aniston opens up about not having children
The victim’s husband, Homer Hancock, said his wife was “a little friend” of his killer and that Parker had taken photos of their wedding and engagement.
Defense attorneys said Parker was disappointed with family and friends who didn’t contest her about the false pregnancy.
“There was no safety net when everyone saw that the wheels were out of order,” said Jeff Harrelson, for the defense.
The Bowie County jury was shown a crime scene photo of Ms. Simmons-Hancock’s blood-soaked body as prosecutors released closing statements Wednesday.
They could have sentenced Parker to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but now he joins death row. His lawyer said they intend to appeal.
