Virginia Teen Kills Mom, Texts Dad Photo

Thanksgiving 2013 will forever be remembered as a day of unimaginable tragedy for the Hutson family of Chesapeake, Virginia. What began as a holiday meant for gratitude and togetherness ended in despair when 19-year-old Rachel Hutson shot and killed her mother, Susan Lee Hutson, in the early hours of Black Friday. The murder, fueled by years of familial tension and Rachel's undiagnosed mental illness, shocked the close-knit community and left lasting scars on those involved.

Rachel Hutson Breaks Her Silence

Rachel, now serving an 18-year prison sentence, recently broke her silence in an interview from the Hampton Roads Regional Jail, offering chilling insights into the events leading up to the crime and her reflections in its aftermath.

A Family Strained by Caregiving

In her conversation with Dr. Phil, Rachel revealed a deeply troubled family dynamic exacerbated by the stress of caregiving. Her mother, 58, suffered from congestive heart failure, kidney failure, and diabetes, conditions that required round-the-clock care. Rachel, often at the center of her mother's care, described the emotional toll on the family.

"We had been fussing and fighting a lot, and we had promised we were going to get along better," Rachel explained, detailing the pressure and friction that had built up over time, Huff Post reports.

The Turning Point

The turning point came late Thanksgiving night when Rachel argued with her father, Donald, who left the home shortly afterward to shop for Black Friday sales. Feeling hopeless and overwhelmed, Rachel made the fateful decision to end both her and her mother's lives.

The Murder

Around 1 a.m., Rachel retrieved a shotgun from her closet. Initially intent on killing herself, she reconsidered, fearing that her mother would find her body and suffer additional emotional trauma. Rachel entered her mother's room instead.

"I told her I was sorry, that this was what had to happen," Rachel recounted as reported by Daily Mail. Next Rachel pulled out the gun and shot her mother. "I couldn't hear anything, it made my ears ring. I could tell she was dead, she wasn't moving. I told her I was sorry, I just kept saying I was sorry."

Aftermath

What followed was a haunting sequence of actions. Rachel texted her father a photo of her mother's body, desperate to make him believe what she had done. Donald, initially dismissive, demanded to speak with Susan. "He kept telling me to put mom on the phone, and I kept telling him that she was dead," Rachel said, as reported by the Daily Mail.

Her original plan to end her own life unraveled as Rachel grappled with the potential impact on her father. "I realized I had already hurt my family really, really badly," she said, according to Huff Post. "If I were to kill myself, that would hurt worse."

Years of Undiagnosed Mental Illness

Rachel's trial highlighted years of undiagnosed mental illness, with her sister Sarah testifying about Rachel's frequent "fits of rage," as reported by the Daily Mail. The defense argued that these struggles, compounded by caregiving stress, created a perfect storm leading to the tragedy.

Reflecting on her actions, Rachel expressed deep remorse, admitting to Dr. Phil that if she had a chance to do that night over, she wouldn't shoot her again. Instead, she would have called the police and told them she was suicidal.

A Family's Journey Toward Healing

As Rachel faces the consequences of her actions, her family continues to process their grief. They say forgiveness will take time, but their presence at her side hints at a fragile hope for healing in the years to come.

References: Teen Who Killed Mom: 'I'm Sorry and I Love Her' | EXCLUSIVE VIDEO: Teenager who shot her mother dead and sent a picture of the body to her father on Thanksgiving breaks her silence in prison - and sees her family for the first time