A man from Florida received a life sentence for murdering a 2-year-old girl in his care by severing her spine. This occurred a mere week after her mother broke up with him. The jury took almost two hours to convict 27-year-old Travis Ray Thompson of first-degree murder for Jacklyn Schwingel’s death, according to PEOPLE.
On May 2, 2022, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was alerted to child abuse when a 2-year-old girl was taken to the emergency room in critical condition. Despite efforts to save her, Jacklyn was sadly pronounced dead. Her mother had left her with Thompson just before the incident.
The mother said that when she got there, Jacklyn was unresponsive, with a weak pulse and a swollen stomach. Both she and Thompson drove Jacklyn to a nearby hospital when she stopped breathing. Thompson was told to call 911, and an ambulance arrived at a nearby business to transport the toddler for treatment.
In an interview with officials, Thompson said he was in another room when he heard a loud noise and located Jacklyn unresponsive. He claimed he didn’t know how she got hurt. On Sept. 1, 2022, the Medical Examiner reported that Jacklyn passed away from severe injuries, including a severed spine and internal bleeding.
The Medical Examiner’s Office found that Thompson used a lot of force on Jacklyn’s upper and lower body, bending her backward beyond what was normal for her. This excessive pressure caused her back to break, according to their statement.
“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,” said State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Bill Gladson.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?