Six years into her 17-year-long sentence for stabbing her baby with a pair of scissors, Rachel Tunstill dies in prison.
Back in 2017, she stabbed her baby girl, Mia Kelly, more than 15 times in the bathroom of their Burnley home and threw her lifeless body in a bin.
Tunstill was initially convicted of murder and handed a life sentence with minimum term of 20 years, but a re-trial proved the jury in the case should have been offered a verdict of infanticide to consider. During the re-trial she was once again convicted of murder and put behind bars for a minimum of 17 years.
“HMP Styal prisoner Rachel Tunstill died in custody on 1 August 2023. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate,” a spokesperson from the Prison Service confirmed the news of her passing.
At the time she gave birth, her boyfriend was playing video games in the next room. She then told him she had a miscarriage and asked for the scissors after which she remorselessly stabbed the baby to death.
At the time of sentencing, the judge, Mr Justice King, said: “This must have been a sustained and frenzied attack on a victim who because of her age was particularly vulnerable. Her duty to her newborn baby was to cradle and comfort her – not to stab her to death.
“There was here in my judgement concealment of the body, albeit short-lived and in addition there was undoubtedly the indignity which was wrought upon the body by disposing of it in the way she did.”
Credit: Liverpool Echo
Tunstill was a university master’s graduate in forensic psychology.
“She showed no emotion or remorse for stabbing her baby to death,” said Mr Justice King.
They are identical twins and married identical twins.
The tale of Brittany and Briana Deane, mirror-image twins who exchanged vows with identical twin brothers Josh and Jeremy Salyers, is taking on an exciting new chapter: the simultaneous anticipation of babies. This extraordinary narrative has enraptured audiences across the digital landscape.
At 33 years old, the Deane sisters reside alongside their 35-year-old spouses in Virginia, where their intertwined journey has been closely monitored by their online community. Donning coordinated attire, the sisters recently divulged their elation: Brittany and Josh are eagerly awaiting the arrival of a baby boy, while Briana and Jeremy are keeping the gender of their impending bundle of joy a delightful mystery.
“Our little ones won’t just share a family bond; they’ll be genetic siblings and part of a rare quartet!” the couples joyfully exclaimed.
The enchanting saga commenced at a twin festival back in 2017, culminating in both sets of twins saying “I do” on August 5, 2018. It wasn’t merely a union of hearts but a merging of parallel universes.
Expressing their heartfelt appreciation, the couples remarked: “We’re overjoyed and immensely grateful to embark on this journey of overlapping pregnancies and to share this incredible news with all of you!” This announcement underscores the extraordinary genetic marvel their offspring will embody, serving as a testament to the delightful unpredictability of life.
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