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.
Fiesty Toddler Doesn’t Like Her Father Talking Back – Her Response Is Hilarious
We meet four-year-old Emma in a charming suburban neighborhood. Emma is a lively and intelligent youngster who loves her father, David. Emma, on the other hand, has a strong sense of self and enjoys speaking her mind, particularly when things don’t go her way.
In a lighthearted game of hide-and-seek one bright afternoon, Emma is being teased by David. Emma takes offense at his jest about her hiding place and resolves to flip the joke back on him. She gives her dad a playful smile and invites him to play a new game called “talking back.”
Every time David makes fun of her or answers in a humorous way in this new game, Emma swiftly responds with her own take on “talking back.” David finds it cutesy and funny at first, but when Emma starts to respond with more sass and intelligence, he starts to think he might have found his match.
Emma’s “talking back” intensifies over the day into a string of surprising and humorous comebacks that make David fight to keep his cool. Emma enjoys outwitting her father, whether it be by making up her own hilarious sentences or by mimicking his tone.
David develops a greater appreciation for Emma’s fierce personality as the game progresses, as well as a better knowledge of her developing independence and inventiveness. David welcomes the happiness of this special bonding experience even though it can be difficult to keep up with his quick-witted kid.
Emma’s boisterous activities have reinforced the bond between father and daughter, who are both weary from laughing by the end of the day. Knowing that there’s never a dull moment when Emma is around, David is amazed by his feisty toddler’s amazing personality as they get ready for bed.
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