She Would Rather Kill Her Children Than Let Anyone Find Out Who Their Father Really Was
From True Crime Recaps by Amy Townsend, Chris Nathan
April 28, 2026 · 13 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the tragic case of Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin, who were involved in the deaths of two children in Sheffield, England.
In 2019, authorities in Sheffield, England began investigating concerns involving a family living in the Shiregreen area. Sarah Barrass lived in the home with her six children, and her half-brother, Brandon Machin, was frequently present. Social services became involved after allegations involving two of the children, which led to increased monitoring of the household.As the investigation continued, authorities began examining the family structure and welfare conditions inside the home. On May 23, 2019, police were called to the residence following reports of a serious incident. When officers entered the property, they found two of the children, Blake and Tristan Barrass, unresponsive in their beds. Emergency services attempted life-saving measures, but both were pronounced dead.Sarah Barrass and Brandon Machin were arrested at the scene and later charged in connection with the deaths and attempted harm of the children. Both initially denied responsibility but later pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder. They were each sentenced to a minimum of 35 years in prison.#TrueCrimeRecaps #SarahBarrass #BrandonMachin #SheffieldMurder
People in this episode
Hosts: Amy Townsend, Chris Nathan
Topics covered
- murder
- child welfare
- family dynamics
- criminal investigation
- legal proceedings
- Sheffield crime
Keywords
- Sarah Barrass
- Brandon Machin
- Sheffield
- murder
- child deaths
- investigation
- family
- criminal case
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Sheffield, Shiregreen
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