Where Are Taylor Parker’s Children Now? Inside Their Lives After Her Conviction
Taylor Parker's two children, who were from two separate relationships, are currently in the custody of her families.
Published June 16 2026, 9:07 a.m. ET
Netflix’s latest crime documentary, Maternal Instinct, has renewed public attention to the case of Taylor Parker, whose fabricated pregnancy and the subsequent murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock shocked the nation.
Parker had two children before her relationship with Wade Griffin, according to Comic Basics. She later falsely convinced Griffin she was pregnant with a third child.
Simmons-Hancock's two children, whose mother was killed in the crime, have received little attention in public discussion of the case.
Taylor Parker's Children From Two Relationships
While the documentary’s primary focus remains on the crime itself, Maternal Instinct has drawn attention to a dimension of the case that has received little public scrutiny: the fate of Parker's two children in the wake of their mother's conviction and sentencing.
Parker's children came from two separate relationships, both of which ended. She had her first child, a daughter, at age 17; the relationship with the child's father ended after he was unfaithful.
Her second child, a son, was born during a marriage that ended in divorce. Parker reportedly voluntarily relinquished custody of the son following the separation.
During her pregnancy with her second child, with then-husband Tommy Wacasey, Parker was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a condition that can cause dangerously elevated blood pressure in expectant mothers. The diagnosis ultimately led her to undergo tubal ligation following the birth.
Where Are Taylor Parker’s Children Now?
Parker’s daughter is currently in the custody of her maternal grandmother, Shonna Prior, who has maintained a close relationship with the Wacasey family, according to information disclosed during court hearings. Parker’s son remains in the custody of his paternal family.
Parker’s daughter has been informed of her mother’s crime, though she has not been told the specific details of the case.
Donald Whiteside Jr., the biological father of Parker’s first child, has remained largely absent from the legal proceedings. Prior to court hearings, Whiteside had reportedly changed jobs repeatedly to avoid wage garnishment tied to a court-mandated child support order.
His sister, Jennifer Whiteside, testified in court about the nature of Parker and Whiteside Jr.'s relationship.
Maternal Instinct documents Parker's murder of Reagan Simmons-Hancock and her infant child, whom Parker later attempted to pass off as her own.