Rachel Tunstill, the mother who was jailed for life after stabbing her newborn daughter to death, has died while in prison custody.
In 2017, Tunstill killed baby Mia Kelly in their Burnley home by stabbing her with scissors. The brutal attack took place in the bathroom, after which she placed the body into plastic bags and disposed of it in the kitchen bin along with the murder weapon.
Tunstill was convicted of murder at Preston Crown Court and initially received a minimum 20-year sentence. However, there was controversy over whether she should have been charged with infanticide instead, which led to a retrial.
The second trial again resulted in a murder conviction, this time with a life sentence and a minimum term of 17 years. It was revealed that her boyfriend was in the next room playing computer games while she gave birth. She misled him by claiming she had suffered a miscarriage and asked for scissors, which she then used to kill Mia moments after birth.
At sentencing, Mr Justice King condemned the “sustained, frenzied” attack on the completely defenseless infant. He stated, “Her duty as a mother was care and comfort, not harm.” Throughout the proceedings, Tunstill showed no remorse, despite holding a master’s degree in forensic psychology, a chilling detail given her apparent coldness.
The Prison Service at HMP Styal in Cheshire has confirmed Tunstill’s death. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will conduct an investigation, as is standard procedure for all deaths in custody.
This tragic case highlights the urgent need for improved mental health support and better protection for vulnerable newborns and children. The story of Rachel Tunstill closes with a haunting legacy of loss and shocking cruelty.
Originally published by UKNIP.
