In a tragic and heart-wrenching case, Rachel Tunstill, a 32-year-old woman who was serving a life sentence for the murder of her baby, has been found dead in HMP Styal, Cheshire. Tunstill had been convicted of killing her daughter, Mia Kelly, whom she stabbed to death shortly after giving birth alone in her bathroom in Burnley, Lancashire, in January 2017.
At the time of the incident, Tunstill’s partner was unaware of the horrific events occurring just a few feet away, as he was engrossed in playing Xbox in the next room. After stabbing baby Mia with a pair of scissors, Tunstill placed her lifeless body in plastic bags and disposed of her in a kitchen bin.
Initially found guilty of murder and sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison, Tunstill’s conviction was later overturned by an appeals court judge who ruled that the jury should have been offered the option to consider a verdict of infanticide. However, after a retrial at Liverpool Crown Court, Tunstill was once again found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 17 years before being considered for release.
The news of Tunstill’s death in custody has prompted an investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman to determine the circumstances surrounding her passing. The cause of her death has not been disclosed by the Prison Service at this time.
During the trials, evidence revealed that Tunstill, a psychology graduate and deputy manager at a residential home for individuals with mental health issues, had been diagnosed with high-functioning autism. She claimed to be unaware of her full-term pregnancy and mistakenly believed she was experiencing a miscarriage.
Disturbingly, it was also revealed that in the weeks leading up to the delivery, Tunstill had searched the internet for information on how to terminate a late pregnancy. She had even looked into details about Mick Philpott, a notorious killer who murdered six of his own children in a house fire.
While in prison, Tunstill reported hearing voices and made references to being similar to Rose West, a serial killer known for her involvement in torturing and murdering young women. In sentencing remarks, Mr. Justice King described the killing as a sustained and frenzied attack on a particularly vulnerable victim due to her young age. He condemned Tunstill’s actions, emphasizing that as a mother, her duty was to care for and protect her newborn baby, not to cause harm in such a brutal manner.
The tragedy surrounding Mia Kelly’s murder has left many unanswered questions about what led Tunstill to commit such a heinous act. Although the details of her mental state and motivations may never be fully understood, the loss of an innocent life and the pain inflicted on her family remain deeply troubling.
As the investigation into Rachel Tunstill’s death in prison unfolds, authorities will work to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to prevent similar tragedies in the future. This case also highlights the importance of providing adequate mental health support and intervention for individuals at risk to prevent devastating outcomes.
