Summary
Highlights
On May 3rd, 2022, 2-year-old Jacquelynn Schwingle arrived at Advent Health Waterman Hospital in cardiac arrest and later died. Her mother, Kristen, stated that an incident occurred while Jacquelynn was in the care of Travis Thompson, her boyfriend. Neighbors noted the children were often unsupervised, and some felt 'something was off' with the couple.
Travis Thompson, the only adult with Jacquelynn at the time, claimed he was in the bathroom when he heard a thud. He found Jacquelynn motionless and unresponsive, and after attempting CPR, called Kristen. He denied any involvement in her injuries and also revealed he kept a loaded AR pistol near the bed, which he claimed was for cleaning.
Detectives noted a 37-minute delay between Thompson finding Jacquelynn and calling 911. He described his disciplinary methods as a 'one pop' on the butt, while a neighbor recalled Kristen arguing with Travis about hitting the kids. Thompson admitted to a past incident in 2019 where he broke a child's arm, which he attributed to an accident.
An autopsy revealed significant injuries that the medical examiner deemed inconsistent with an accident. Detectives confronted Thompson with the medical findings, informing him that Jacquelynn's death was ruled a homicide. Thompson suggested pre-existing conditions, but doctors confirmed the injuries were recent and severe, including broken bones.
Thompson felt he was being targeted and rejected the idea of a polygraph test, fearing it was a 'setup.' His phone data contradicted his claim of attempting to call 911 from the camper. Kristen's denial of Jacquelynn complaining about back pain further aroused suspicion. Thompson eventually tried to leave the interrogation.
Outside the sheriff's office, detectives revealed the full extent of Jacquelynn's injury: a broken spine. Thompson denied inflicting such an injury and became defensive, accusing hospital staff of causing it. Detectives noted his earlier mention of Jacquelynn complaining about her back as a 'clue', suggesting he knew about the injury.
Four months later, Travis Thompson was arrested and brought back for interrogation. He maintained his story but was confronted with the medical report, which detailed 'traumatic injuries to her torso with a disarticulation... a complete separation through and through break of her lumbar spine.' Thompson struggled to provide any plausible explanation.
Detectives presented evidence of Thompson's turbulent relationship with Kristen, with text messages showing his stress and possessiveness. They suggested his emotional state and prior history of child abuse contributed to the incident. Thompson was charged with first-degree murder, eligible for the death penalty. He was eventually convicted and sentenced to life in prison, as the jury took only two hours to decide.