In 2022, a 2-year-old girl named Jacklyn Schwingel was rushed to a hospital in Marion County, Florida, with fatal injuries.
More than a year later, the criminal case has come to an end, and justice has been served.
On the morning of May 2, 2022, Jacklyn’s mother left her in the care of her then-boyfriend, Travis Ray Thompson, while she went to work.
Just 25 minutes later, Thompson called her, saying something was wrong with the toddler.
When the mother returned, she found Jacklyn unresponsive, with a swollen stomach and a weak pulse.
In a panic, they rushed her to the hospital — but on the way there, Jacklyn stopped breathing.
The mother told Thompson to call 911, and emergency responders met them at a nearby business — but despite doctors' efforts, Jacklyn couldn’t be saved.
Due to the severity of Jacklyn’s injuries, doctors quickly suspected foul play and alerted the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Children and Families, which led to a criminal investigation.
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| Travis Ray Thompson |
When detectives from the Major Crimes Unit questioned Thompson, he said he was in another room when he heard a loud noise and came out to find Jacklyn unresponsive.
He claimed he had no idea how she got hurt, even though he was the only adult in the home at the time.
However after forensic investigations, detectives uncovered the horrifying truth.
On September 1, 2022, an autopsy revealed that Jacklyn died from traumatic injuries to her torso, including internal bleeding and a severed spine.
The medical examiner determined that Thompson had bent her backward beyond her "natural range of motion", causing her spine to break.
After the autopsy findings, a criminal complaint was filed against Thompson, and he was charged with Jacklyn's murder.
Authorities believe Thompson deliberately hurt Jacklyn to get back at her mother after she reportedly broke up with him one week earlier..
Prosecutors Amy Berndt and Sasha Kidney presented strong evidence, and the jury found him guilty of first-degree murder after just two hours of deliberation.
At sentencing, Judge Barbara Kissner gave him a life in prison sentence, as reported by PEOPLE.
Bill Gladson, State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit, didn’t hold back:
“This monster stole the life of an innocent child, and today, the justice system made sure he will never walk free again. Life in prison is too good for this kind of evil.”
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods also praised the detectives for their hard work and dedication in making sure justice was served.
“I’m incredibly proud of my Major Crimes detectives for their relentless work on this heartbreaking case. Their dedication helped secure justice for an innocent child,” he said.
While no sentence can bring back a child, the court ensured that Thompson would never hurt another child again.
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