A Florida man was recently sentenced after the death of a toddler at his hands. Travis Thompson was found guilty of murdering the daughter of his ex-girlfriend while the girl was in his care. Even though the couple had broken up, they had to see each other. So when the mom had to go to work, she entrusted Thompson to babysit. Unfortunately, that decision led to the toddler’s death. The only comfort the woman has is that her ex will be going to jail for a long time.
A jury found 27-year-old Travis Thompson guilty of first-degree murder, the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office shared in a news release. A judge then sentenced him to life in prison.
“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,” State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit Bill Gladson said, per the release.
On May 3, 2022, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office received a report of child abuse from a health care facility, the statement explained. A toddler had been brought to its emergency room in critical condition. Despite being given life-saving measures, the 2-year-old died. The girl was later identified as Jacklyn Schwingel.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Miami Herald, police said Thompson and the girl’s mother were longtime friends who had recently tried dating. They had broken up, and the woman and her two children had moved out of the camper they were sharing. Investigators gathered texts that showed Thompson was angry about the breakup. However, on May 2, 2022, they stayed with Thompson because he was having his car fixed the next day.
Thompson took the older child to the bus stop on the morning of May 3. When he got back home, the woman went to work, leaving Jacklyn home with the man, deputies said, per the Herald. Within 30 minutes, Thompson claimed to have heard a “loud thud” while he was in the bathroom. When he came out, the girl was limp. He called her mother to come back from work.
When she arrived 30 minutes later, they decided to drive the girl to the hospital. But when she stopped breathing en route, they called 911, the Herald reported. An ambulance met them halfway, and the girl died at the hospital.
During the autopsy, the medical examiner discovered the girl’s lower spine had been severed with “significant, gradual force,” the state attorney’s office release noted. She also had internal bleeding. Thompson would have “bent her backward beyond her natural range of motion until her back broke.” Upon this discovery, Travis Thompson was arrested but maintained he didn’t know how the girl got hurt.
According to the Herald, Thompson’s legal team is seeking an appeal.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
