By Missi Branham
On May 3, 2022, two-year-old Jacklyn Schwingel woke up healthy, happy, and full of life. Jacklyn and her mom spent some time snuggling in Jacklyn’s bed before her mom headed off to work at 9:37 AM. Jacklyn’s mom left Jacklyn with Travis Ray Thompson, who was 24 years old at the time. Thompson had babysat Jacklyn and her older brother before.
After Jacklyn’s mom arrived at work, she texted Thompson asking how Jacklyn was, something she always did when leaving her children. She did not get a text response, but she received a phone call from Thompson at 10:02 AM, informing her Jacklyn fell off the couch and wasn’t breathing, but he revived her with CPR. Jacklyn’s mom asked to speak to the child and only heard a gurgling noise. Her mom rushed home, arriving at 10:30 AM. She described Thompson holding Jacklyn, saying, “she was limp and not moving, her lips were blue and she was pale.” Her mom took the child from Thompson and tried to get a response. At 10:31 AM, they both left with Jacklyn, Thompson driving and her mom desperately trying to revive her daughter.
En route to the hospital, Jacklyn’s mom told Thompson that the child was not breathing and to call 911. Thompson called, answered the 911 operator’s questions, and received instructions to start CPR, which he relayed to Jacklyn’s mom until the paramedics arrived and took over.
Jacklyn was taken to AdventHealth Waterman Hospital in Tavares. She arrived at 11:02 AM, never regained consciousness, and passed away at 2:01 PM. The medical staff could not get Jacklyn stable enough for transport to Orlando.
On Tuesday, June 3, 2025, the Emergency Room Physician, Dr. Patricia Smolter, testified, “The child was brought into the hospital at 11:04 AM, not breathing on her own, in extreme distress, [and her] eyes indicated a neurological issue.” Dr. Smolter went on to say, “Child abuse trauma was considered early on, but at the time, the physician’s main focus is to help the child.” Jacklyn’s medical stats were grave, and she had a distended abdomen. Blood loss was suspected. Many medical tests were performed the day of Jacklyn’s death. Later, on September 1, 2022, the Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was traumatic injuries to the victim’s torso with a severing of her spine and internal bleeding behind her abdomen. 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, a total separation of the lumbar spine. It was not caused by a simple fall; it was not caused by any fall. The couch was a futon, and the top of the cushion was 16 inches from the floor. Jacklyn Schwingel was 37 inches tall and weighed 33 lbs.
The medical professionals testified that they would have reported Child Abuse to DCF had it not already been reported by AdventHealth Waterman.
MCSO Detective Chase King testified that he took part in an interview with Thompson and Jacklyn’s mom at the hospital immediately following Jacklyn’s death, along with Investigator Kyle Jones with the Medical Examiner’s Office. In the 45-minute interview, the defendant described the incident. Thompson stated to him that they went to the lake for 10-20 minutes, then they walked a short walk home, and the child was watching CatDog and eating Cheese-Its. He went to the bathroom, and after 10 minutes, he heard a thud, went out to where Jacklyn was, and she was unresponsive. Thompson said she was making a gurgling sound and had urinated on herself. He stated he called out for help and called Jacklyn’s mom. Thompson admitted several times he was the only person with Jacklyn from the time her mother left for work at 9:37 AM until she returned at 10:30 AM, yet he could not explain what happened to her.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Sasha Kidney. The State laid out an impeccable case. In the State’s Closing Argument, the State offered that Jacklyn was a normal and healthy girl and that Thompson showed no tears, no remorse, and no explanation.
After a two-hour deliberation, on Wednesday, June 4, 2025, jurors found 27-year-old Travis Ray Thompson guilty of First-Degree Murder. Immediately after the verdict, Judge Barbara Kissner sentenced Thompson to Life in prison, which in Florida means he will spend the rest of his entire life behind bars.
