Fresh off the heels of a very successful run of the ratings blockbuster Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, TLC is moving in a slightly different direction for its next unscripted effort with a one-hour true crime thriller. Half-Ton Killer? tells the story of Mayra Rosales, an 1,100 pound woman (one of the heaviest in the world) who, in 2008, confessed to accidentally killing her 2-year-old nephew after she sat on him and crushed him to death. However, as details emerged, the case was not as it appeared.


An autopsy report concluded that the toddler died of a fatal blow to the head which was inconsistent with Mayra's story of falling on him. She was arrested and charged with capital murder. To attend the trial, the walls of her home and the courtroom had to be removed in order to transport her. Mayra's defense was that she couldn't have hit her nephew in the head in the manner that the prosecution suggested because her arms were too heavy for her to lift.

Eventually, Mayra recanted her original confession and told a much different, and more shocking story; you can read the spoiler here.


Half-Ton Killer? premieres on TLC on October 10.

TLC Airing True Crime Special 'Half-Ton Killer?' [THR]