Getty The chilling events of a new Lifetime movie are based on a true story.
The Lifetime movie “Cradle Did Fall” premieres on June 20 at 8 pm ET. The film follows a woman posing as an infant photographer so she can get close to a new mother and ultimately steal her baby.
So is the harrowing tale based on a true story? Yes. “Cradle Did Fall” is based on the real-life crimes of Juliette Parker, a Washington woman who offered free photography services to new or expecting mothers via a Facebook group for Pierce County residents.
In a post on the Facebook group, Parker outlined her specific criteria. “If you have a new baby that’s less than 14 days or are at least 37 weeks pregnant, comment below with a pic of your cute baby or baby bump and his/her bday or your due date,” wrote Parker.
Parker claimed to be offering free photoshoots to build her portfolio and said she could drive to meet interested mothers at their homes. What happened next was like something out of a horror movie.
Parker Attempted to Kidnap an Infant
YoutubeParker found her victims through a Facebook group.
One unsuspecting woman named Elysia Miller took Parker up on her offer. NBC News reports that Parker visited Miller’s home three times to take photos of her newborn baby. Parker was seen wiping her fingerprints off of objects in Miller’s home.
On February 5, 2020, Parker visited Miller’s home for the third time. She brought her 16-year-old daughter with her. Parker gave Miller a cupcake. Immediately after eating the cupcake, Miller began to feel strange. She told Parker and her daughter to leave her home. They did, but only after stealing Miller’s house keys.
A statement posted to Facebook by the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department reads, “An adult female victim called 911 on the night of February 5, 2020, to request medical aid when she suddenly began feeling numbness, drowsiness, instability on her feet and was vomiting. The victim told firefighters that she believed that she had been drugged.”
In the chilling 911 call, Miller says, “I was fine until I ate a cupcake. And then after I ate the cupcake…my tongue and my face started tingling.” Miller began to feel increasingly uneasy as Parker and her daughter reacted to the sudden change. “They kept asking me if I was tired and how I was feeling,” Miller said on the 911 call.
Parker Was Arrested 9 Days Later
YoutubeParker used several aliases and even ran for mayor of Colorado Springs in 2019.
On February 14, 2020, Parker and her daughter were arrested at their home. In a statement, the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department revealed, “this detailed investigation identified additional victims and garnered evidence that indicate that the suspect was planning to steal a newborn baby to raise as her own.”
The Sheriff’s Department also noted that Parker had gone by other names while contacting potential victims, including Juliette Noel and Juliette Gains. Parker was charged with assault and attempted kidnapping.
In a press conference, the victim said, “Will I be able to take a shower knowing that she could bail out and come to my house? No. Will I sleep content? No. Just because she’s behind bars, that doesn’t give me peace of mind. She still knows where I live at, she still knows my children.”
Parker ran for mayor of Colorado Springs in 2019. She told NBC News Affiliate KOAA, “I want to make Colorado Springs a happy and safe and prosperous place for all of our residents.”
Don’t miss “Cradle Will Fall” on June 20 at 8 pm ET on Lifetime.
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