A Florida man learned his fate for the murder of a 2-year-old girl in 2022 after the mother of the child left her daughter in his care.
On Wednesday, 27-year-old Travis Ray Thompson was found guilty of first-degree murder for the killing of Jacklyn Schwingel, according to a statement from the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office.
‘Life in prison is too good for this kind of evil.’
On May 3, 2022, a female toddler was rushed to the emergency room of AdventHealth Waterman, a hospital in Tavares. The child was in critical condition when she arrived.
Medical personnel attempted lifesaving measures on 2-year-old Jacklyn, but the young girl was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Hospital officials notified the Marion County Sheriff’s Office of a possible case of child abuse.
A detective with the sheriff’s office questioned the mother of the deceased child, who told the detective that she had left her daughter in the care of Thompson earlier that morning so she could go to work.
The Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office noted that Thompson called the mother approximately 25 minutes after she left to inform her that Jacklyn was unresponsive.
Thompson told investigators that the girl was in another room when he heard a loud noise. Thompson claimed he found the child unresponsive.
“Instead of calling 911, Thompson waited for 30 minutes for the victim’s mother to arrive and only then began driving to the hospital,” the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office stated.
The mother noted that her daughter was lifeless and had a shallow pulse and a distended abdomen.
“While en route to the hospital, the victim’s mother directed Thompson to call 911 when she realized the victim had stopped breathing altogether,” the attorney’s office said.
Emergency medical services personnel met Thompson and the mother at a nearby business to bring the toddler to the hospital for medical treatment.
According to officials, the little girl suffered abhorrent physical abuse at the hands of Thompson. Officials added that Thompson claimed he did not know how the victim became injured despite being the only person left with the victim.
On Sept. 1, 2022, the medical examiner’s office determined that Jacklyn’s cause of death was traumatic injuries to her torso with a severing of her spine and internal bleeding.
“Based on the severity and nature of the break, it was determined that Thompson applied significant, gradual force to the victim’s upper and lower body and bent her backward beyond her natural range of motion until her back broke,” the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office said.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement, “Thompson physically abused the toddler while she was in his care, which resulted in her spine being completely severed.”
Thompson was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail on Sept. 8, 2022.
After jurors deliberated for two hours Wednesday and delivered a guilty verdict, Judge Barbara Kissner-Kwatkosky sentenced Thompson to life in prison for Jacklyn’s murder.
“This monster stole the life of an innocent child, and today, the justice system made sure he will never walk free again,” said Bill Gladson, state attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit. “Life in prison is too good for this kind of evil.”
Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods added, “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.”
“I also want to thank State Attorney Bill Gladson and his team for delivering a guilty verdict,” Woods continued. “In Marion County, we protect our children — and we hold those who harm them accountable.”
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