A chilling new Netflix documentary is sure to leave true crime fans feeling a whole host of emotions, according to a TV critic. Luke Eccleston has described the show as a 'must-watch' and the best of 2026 so far, claiming it will soon be the 'top trending' on the streaming giant.
What Is 'Maternal Instinct' About?
'The documentary I am talking about is called Maternal Instinct,' Eccleston revealed in a TikTok video. The 90-minute film tells a story from 2020 where a young woman is driving down a highway, gets pulled over by the police, and has a baby on her lap that had just been born. When the woman and baby are taken in by law enforcement, tests reveal the pair are not related. 'What comes next is genuinely insane,' Eccleston declared.
He continued: 'The more you learn about the story, this woman and what happened... it is one of the most brutal, heartbreaking, emotional and horrible stories you will ever come across. Everyone is going to be talking about this documentary - I guarantee it.'
Official Synopsis
Netflix's synopsis states: 'In a small East Texas town, a young woman from a wealthy family falls for a local hog trapper. Their relationship appears perfect, and within months she’s pregnant and proudly showing off her baby bump all over social media. But when a state trooper pulls her over and discovers she has just given birth in her car, her story quickly falls apart, exposing the truth behind a terrifying and unthinkable crime.'
Critical Acclaim
Directed by Jessica Dimmock, 'Maternal Instinct' follows Jessica Brookes, her boyfriend Wade Griffin, Taylor Parker, and Reagan Simmons-Hancock. On IMDb, the documentary boasts an impressive rating of 7.4 out of 10 following 1,900 reviews.
One viewer admitted: 'I was not prepared! I went into this documentary completely blind, with no idea where the story was headed. It begins with a mystery. Something seemingly impossible has happened. But how? As the pieces slowly fall into place, the story takes an increasingly dark turn, far darker than I ever expected. And I have seen my share... the reveal is a complete and utter gut punch and at one point brought tears to my eyes. And I will have to leave it at that.'
Another wrote: 'I had never read anything about this case, so I went into this doc knowing nothing of the background or repercussions. I was horrified at how one person could destroy so many lives. The documentary pursues the whole journey of the perpetrator extraordinarily well, piecing together her journey for the past 10 or so years of her life where her lies keep getting worse.'
