Lauren Flanigan’s downward spiral before stabbing murder of three-year-old Sophia

Lauren Flanigan’s life looked perfect, but behind the online facade, she was spiralling. From an unexplained silence, to the final photo of Sophia, these are the clues in her chilling descent.

Sophia Rose was murdered by her mum at their Moore Park Beach home.

Lauren Flanigan’s life looked perfect.

A young, beautiful mother with three children, living by the beach north of Bundaberg whose social media painted the picture of happiness.

But behind the online facade, Flanigan’s life was far from it.

The 32-year-old Moore Park Beach woman was charged with the brutal murder of her three-year-old daughter Sophia in their front yard on May 26.

On Sunday night, Flanigan died in hospital after being found unresponsive in her high-risk jail cell just days after entering custody.

Lauren Flanigan, 32, stabbed her three-year-old daughter Sophia to death.

The Courier-Mail can now reveal more about the mother’s life and her spiral from a seemingly loving, carefree mum into darkness.

In 2020, Flanigan’s Instagram shows a carefree lifestyle before kids – hiking, eating out and spending time at the beach from Bundaberg to Currumbin on the Gold Coast – where Flanigan graduated from high school. She was from a large Italian family with many relatives in Ayr and Townsville.

At the end of 2020, Flanigan fell pregnant with her first child, Sophia.

She shared the joyous news in February, 2021 when she was 16 weeks along.

“16 weeks pregnant and totally loving becoming your mama my sweet girl,” she captioned a photo of her tenderly touching her small baby bump.

Lauren shared this photo of her 16 weeks pregnant with Sophia in February 2021.

Flanigan joked with friends about morning sickness and not looking forward to gaining baby weight, but admitted she was “embracing the journey”.

Two months later, Flanigan shared another photo of her cradling her growing belly at her home in Moore Park Beach, saying it had been a “rapid transformation in every way”.

“Mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Becoming a mum is the most amazing journey … feeling so blessed,” she wrote.

Another photo came in July, 2021 – just two weeks before Sophia was born.

“Can’t wait to hold you in my arms,” Flanigan wrote.

On August 4, the first photo of little Sophia was posted.

A social media post in April 2021.

She’s the epitome of innocence – wrapped in a swaddle and tiny headband adorned with flowers. She’s only seven days old.

But after this, Flanigan went silent on social media.

In 2023 – during her social hiatus – Flanigan is captured by a photographer at Moore Park Beach Art Festival.

She’s smiling for a photo with her new son strapped to her chest, and grips Sophia’s little hand who is standing beside her.

She looks carefree and happy as they enjoy what appears to be a day at the beach with a friend.

In January last year, Flanigan shared a photo on Instagram sitting at a restaurant table with her then-partner. It’s her first social media post in almost three years.

They’re on a trip to Melbourne to watch Moulin Rouge, eating oysters kilpatrick, smiling, and nothing appears awry.

In September, Flanigan shared with her followers that she had a third baby in a slideshow of adorable photos which include her eldest son and daughter, Sophia.

The Moore Park Beach crime scene. Picture: Liam Kidston

Sophia dances around the room in a pink lace dress, her pigtails flying, as she smiles at someone off camera.

Flanigan went silent on social media for about eight months before resurfacing in May – but this time her posts, and her, were very different.

On May 1, Flanigan shared a flurry of religious quotes in a post.

“Today I rise: Clothes on fire. Covered in grace. Armored by God.”

On May 2, Flanigan posts another series of photos with a religious undertone and a list of religious hashtags like #ChristianInfluencer, #JesusOverEverything, #RiseandReign, #FaithOverFear.

From here, her posts became more regular, and her hashtags told a story that something had changed.

On May 4, she shared another religious post with a lengthy caption where she claimed she had a clear mind.

“I have given my life to serve. I have a beautiful little family who remind me of love daily.

A community that uplifts me. A church that grounds me.

“Aligned Business partners who have great vision. Opportunities chasing me down. Health in my body. Clarity in my mind. Faith in my heart.”

The final photo Lauren Flanigan shared of her daughter Sophia.

Ten days later, Flanigan posted a video of Sophia at the beach in the place that is now her memorial.

Sophia is in a floral dress, hair in pigtails, looking at something interesting on the same patch of grass that is now covered with flowers and messages to her.

On May 25 – the day before Sophia was killed – Flanigan shared her final post.

It included photos of bruises over her arms and a bloodshot eye, with a lengthy caption which included: “This is Kingdom Rising. We move. We build. We burn with holy fire.”

On May 26 at 4.45pm, Flanigan stabbed Sophia multiple times in the front yard of their home.

She stabbed her in front of horrified neighbours, and while her two other children were inside the house.

Neighbours said Flanigan was yelling out Sophia’s name and cried in a gutter while she was consoled by two others, as Sophia lay on the grass with her blonde hair splayed behind her.

Flanigan was charged with Sophia’s murder but died on Sunday night after being found unresponsive in her jail cell.

The Moore Park Beach home where Lauren Flanigan murdered her daughter Sophia. Picture: Isabella Pesch

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Originally published as Lauren Flanigan’s downward spiral before stabbing murder of three-year-old Sophia