Daniel Schwarz, 49, from Texas has been jailed after his eight-year-old adopted daughter Jaylin died from dehydration having been made to jump on a trampoline in heat as a punishment
A dad who made his eight-year-old daughter jump on a trampoline in extreme heat as a punishment, leading to her death, has been jailed.
Daniel Schwarz, 49, pleaded guilty to manslaughter for his part in the death of his adopted daughter Jaylin, in Odessa, Texas, and was sentenced to 18 years in jail. His wife Ashley Schwarz was found guilty of capital murder on May 1, 2023 and was given three life sentences.
The couple adopted the 8-year-old, and were her legal guardians at the time of her death which happened on August 29, 2020. Odessa Police responded to a medical call and found Jaylin Schwarz dead at the scene.
She had been punished by the Schwarzes, which included not eating breakfast or drinking water and jumping on a trampoline without stopping. Coroners found that Jaylin died of dehydration after being made to jump on the trampoline in 43C heat, and it was ruled a homicide.
“Investigators later discovered that Daniel and his wife, Ashley, had forced their daughter to jump on a trampoline for an extended period without food or water as a form of punishment,” the Ector County District Attorney said in a statement.
“The trampoline’s surface temperature was approximately 110 degrees at the time. This outcome is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and the Odessa Police Department in seeking justice.”
Jaylin’s grave(
Image:
Alysha Anderton/Facebook)
Coroners found that Jaylin died of dehydration(
Image:
Alysha Anderton/Facebook)
Victim statements from family read out during Schwarz’s trial said that he showed no emotion during his daughter’s funeral. And Jaylin’s siblings also told the court during the trial that it was common for them to be forced to jump on the trampoline for hours as a punishment.
Jaylin, and her sister Jade, came under the care of the couple after Ashley Schwarz’s step-sister Alysha Anderton lost custody due to a battle with addiction. In 2020, Alysha spoke to the news outlet KOSA where she spoke about the tragedy. “What upsets me the most is that I never got to see her alive again. When they took them, I never got to say goodbye,” she said.
Alysha said that Jaylin had been living with the Schwarzes for four years and after losing custody the next time she saw her was in a coffin. “That’s not fair to me. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t totally break down,” Alysha added.
