The new Netflix documentary Maternal Instinct drops on June 12, 2026, and it is already disturbing audiences around the world. The film tells the horrifying story of Taylor Parker, a Texas woman who faked a pregnancy for ten months and then killed a pregnant friend to steal her unborn baby. But at the center of Parker’s web of lies was one man: her boyfriend, Wade Griffin.
Griffin, a local hog trapper and roofer from East Texas, appears on camera in the documentary. He is the man Parker lied to for months. He is also the reason she went to such extreme lengths. The documentary, directed by Jessica Dimmock, shows Griffin revisiting a relationship built entirely on deception.
Content Warning: This article discusses sensitive subject matter including violence and infant death. Reader discretion is strongly advised.
How Taylor Parker and Wade Griffin Met
Taylor Parker met Wade Griffin at a rodeo in July 2019. At the time, Parker had already been through two divorces and had two children. She told Griffin she was the heiress to a million-dollar syrup empire. She claimed her family had millions of dollars tied up in accounts that would soon be hers.
Griffin fell for her. His mother, Connie Griffin, later testified in court that the family grew to love Parker. But there were early warning signs. Parker did not have custody of her son. Connie also noticed that Griffin was not entirely sure about how serious Parker wanted the relationship to be.
Still, Griffin trusted Parker. She helped him run his farm. She cooked for him. He later described her as “the best cook I’ve ever had.” He was thrilled to have her in his life.
The Fake Pregnancy That Fooled Everyone
Just weeks into the relationship, in August 2019, Parker told Griffin she was pregnant. She later claimed she lost those twins after being hit by a towing cable. Then in February 2020, she announced she was pregnant again, due in September 2020.
The reality was very different. Parker had undergone a tubal ligation in 2014 and a medically necessary hysterectomy in 2015. Pregnancy was impossible. She never told Griffin any of this.
To keep the lie going, Parker wore a pillow under her clothes to mimic a baby bump. She faked ultrasound images. She bought baby clothes and supplies. She even threw a gender reveal party featuring a cow wearing a pink feather boa. She posted everything on social media for friends and family to see.
Griffin was not allowed to attend any doctor’s appointments. Parker told him it was because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Griffin Had Doubts But Stayed Loyal
As the months passed, Griffin started to wonder. His mother told him something was wrong. Parker’s ex-husband even texted Griffin directly to say Parker had a hysterectomy years earlier. But Parker had a story for everything. She told Griffin her mother was trying to ruin her life. She claimed her mother had faked her own death just to torment her.
When the due date came and went, Parker pushed it to October 9, 2020. That same day, she sent Griffin to Oklahoma for a $6,100 hog sale. No such sale existed.
Griffin later testified in court about his confusion. “I’ve got my mom telling me one thing, Taylor telling me another,” he said. “But I’ve been with Taylor this whole time, so I’m going with her.”
He described the relationship as an “emotional rollercoaster.” Even when debts piled up and checks bounced, he believed her excuses. “She always had an excuse,” he told the court.
The Murder That Shocked the Country
On October 9, 2020, Parker drove to the home of Reagan Simmons-Hancock, a 21-year-old pregnant woman in New Boston, Texas. Simmons-Hancock was 35 weeks pregnant. She had hired Parker to photograph her engagement and wedding. The two women had become friends.
Parker attacked Simmons-Hancock in her own home. She cut the unborn baby, Braxlynn Sage Hancock, from the mother’s womb. The baby did not survive. Parker left the scene with the infant. She also left behind Simmons-Hancock’s three-year-old daughter, who was alone with her dying mother.
Shortly after, Parker was pulled over for speeding on a Texas highway. She told the state trooper she had just given birth on the side of the road and that her newborn was not breathing. Both were rushed to a hospital, where the baby was pronounced dead. Doctors found no evidence that Parker had given birth.
Meanwhile, Griffin had gone to the hog sale in Oklahoma and found out it was fake. He rushed to a hospital, where police detained him. He thought he was being arrested for illegal hog transport. He later learned the truth about Parker.
Was Wade Griffin Involved in the Crime?
Griffin was never charged with any crime related to Simmons-Hancock’s murder. He testified at Parker’s trial that he had no idea she was faking her pregnancy. The prosecution and defense both treated him as another one of Parker’s victims.
However, Griffin was named in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Simmons-Hancock’s widower, Homer Hancock. The lawsuit claimed gross negligence. It noted that the vehicle Parker drove on the day of the murder was registered in Griffin’s name.
The lawsuit did not change Griffin’s legal status. He faced no criminal charges.
Where Is Wade Griffin Now?
As of June 2026, Wade Griffin lives in East Texas. He continues to work as a roofer, welder, and hog trapper.
Griffin agreed to appear in Maternal Instinct. Photos released by Netflix show him speaking on camera about his relationship with Parker and the discovery of her lies. The documentary gives him a platform to tell his side of the story.
Where Is Taylor Parker Now?
Taylor Parker is on death row in Texas. She was convicted of capital murder in October 2022. A jury sentenced her to death, making her the first woman in Texas to receive a death sentence in 12 years. She is the seventh woman on death row in the state.
Parker appealed her conviction, but courts rejected her bids. In 2025, an appeals court denied her request for a new trial. In May 2026, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear her case. She remains at the Patrick L. O’Daniel women’s prison in Gatesville, Texas. An execution date can only be set once all appeals are exhausted.
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Maternal Instinct Arrives on Netflix
Maternal Instinct premieres globally on Netflix on June 12, 2026. The documentary is available for streaming in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and India. Netflix describes the film as exploring “one woman’s web of deception and the tragedy it brought upon those who trusted her most.”
The documentary includes interviews with Griffin, law enforcement officials, and others connected to the case. It pieces together how Parker managed to fool everyone around her for so long, and how her lies ended in unthinkable violence.
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