What to Know
Emergency responders in Corinth, New York, arrived at an apartment building following a call about a child struggling to breathe in February 2025. When they arrived at Samantha and Matthew Dylewski’s residence, they found the family of seven living in squalor.
They rushed the couple’s 3-year-old daughter, Jocelynn, to Saratoga Hospital, where staff pronounced her dead a short time later. Police initially arrested Samantha and Matthew Dylewski on five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one for each of their children.
But as the investigation continued, it was clear Jocelynn’s death fell on her parents. Prosecutors charged them each with criminally negligent homicide.
Jocelynn appeared neglected.
According to court documents obtained by News 10, Jocelynn’s health was extremely poor when the family called 911. She reportedly had very matted hair and a severe lice infestation that she likely battled for weeks or even months without any intervention. Per WNYT, the lice drained blood from her system, causing severe anemia, which took a toll on her organs.
Investigators reported Jocelynn had rotten, black teeth and had not seen a doctor in nearly a year. An autopsy revealed she had clonidine in her system. Prosecutors referred to text messages between her parents discussing giving her the medication, which was not prescribed to her.
Police promptly arrested her parents.
Both Samantha and Matthew Dylewski pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide. During a recent appearance in Saratoga County Court, Matthew Dylewski allegedly said he wished he’d died instead of his daughter, WNYT reported.
“Your entire job, and it’s a gift to have a child. Your entire job was to keep her safe,” Judge James Davis said to the father. “She was three years old, and you failed in the most horrific way. She was completely reliant upon you, and you failed as a parent.”
Matthew Dylewski will spend 16 months to 4 years in prison, the maximum penalty under his plea agreement. Davis said he believes Jocelynn’s death was preventable and the father deserved a longer prison sentence.
Samantha Dylewski received the same sentence in early June 2026.
WRGB reported that Samantha Dylewski appeared in court on June 8, and Davis handed down the same sentence her husband received. She will also spend 16 months to 4 years in prison. The tearful mother made an emotional statement in court.
“As a mother, I have struggled with the fact that I was negligent and that it got to the point not only housing will continue to affect my children for the rest of their lives, but it was so negligent that my daughter passed away. There was no greater tragedy than what has happened,” she said.
Davis appeared unimpressed and reportedly responded, “Investigator Rossi spoke about observing her body after she had passed away in the hospital. He observed bugs all over her face, scalp, and a dead cockroach fell out of her winter hat when he took it off. He also observed her teeth to be rotten and black.”
New York lawmakers want change.
Jocelynn’s death prompted New York State Senator Jim Tedisco, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, and Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby to sponsor a new bill for Joycelynn’s Law. The legislation would effectively “raise the penalty for criminally negligent homicide of a child from a Class E felony to a Class A felony.”
Simpson wants to send a message to people who hurt children.
“By raising the maximum penalty for criminally negligent homicide of a child to 20 years to life, we send an unmistakable message: those who betray their most basic duty to protect a vulnerable child will face consequences that match the severity of their actions,” he stated.
Per News 10, following their release from prison, the parents can have no contact with their other four children until 2038.
READ NEXT: A 2-Year-Old Was Running Through Traffic Before Anyone at His Daycare Noticed He Was Missing
