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.
A judge threw herself on the button after only three seconds: look how she silences the whole crowd
You can tell right away that you’re about to go through something remarkable.
This was the situation during a performance by a little contestant named Sophie on Germany’s “The Voice Kids.” Three seconds had elapsed since she started to sing, and already one of the judges had quickly turned their chair by pressing the button. It was amazing that in just two words, Sophie had left a lasting impact and guaranteed her place in the competition.
Sophie’s rendition of the classic song “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” by Edith Piaf struck a chord with the judges and the crowd right away. The judge’s prompt action brought to light Sophie’s exceptional brilliance and emotional richness, demonstrating a degree of vocal skill and elegance rarely seen in someone so young.
Not only did her performance captivate the audience, but it also demonstrated the ability of music to transcend age differences. The fact that Sophie felt a deep connection to Piaf’s soul-stirring songs at such a young age is evidence of the timeless power of classical music.
The audience’s tremendously favorable response, with many people brought to tears by the intensity of her rendition, added to the special mood. This answer demonstrated Sophie’s capacity to deeply connect with her audience despite age and language obstacles, in addition to the emotional connection she had built.
See for yourself Sophie’s incredible voice and talent, and you’ll see why she became an immediate favorite of the judges and audience.
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