Two-year-old Jacklyn Schwingel was left in the care of her mother's former paramour, Travis Thompson, in his camper while her mother went to work on May 3, 2022. Thompson claimed the toddler fell from a bed/futon while he was in the bathroom, but the autopsy found traumatic torso injuries with a complete disarticulation (severing) of the lumbar spine at L2-3 and a large retroperitoneal hematoma. The Medical Examiner determined significant, gradual force had been applied, bending the child backward beyond her natural range of motion until her spine broke, causing fatal internal bleeding. Thompson delayed seeking help before the mother arrived and the pair drove toward the hospital, calling 911 only after the child stopped breathing. The death was ruled a homicide, and Thompson — who had a prior 2019 child-abuse injunction — was arrested, convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
The autopsy in the fatality report lists "Blood topiramate concentration 1100 ng/mL" among postmortem toxicology findings, indicating the child had this prescription anticonvulsant in her system. It is unexplained and not the cause of death (which was traumatic), so the relevance/route of ingestion is unclear.
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
The fatality report notes MCSO "found a converted shotgun loaded next to the bed, and a loaded handgun in the camper," and CBS12 reports Thompson "violated the injunction by having firearms in his possession," leading to a misdemeanor arrest. Firearms were present and figured in a prior charge, but no firearm caused the child's death.
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Multiple sources describe inflicted injury. The fatality report cites homicide by "traumatic injuries of the torso, with a disarticulation of the lumbar spine." The sao5.org release states "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." NY Post: "Thompson beat 2-year-old Jacklyn Schwingel so badly... her spine was severed."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
The perpetrator was the mother's former paramour. The fatality report identifies "Travis Thompson, 24 years old, Mother's Former Paramour" and lists him as "the caregiver responsible" with verified findings of death and internal injuries. He was convicted of first-degree murder.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The fatality report states "On September 8, 2022, Travis Thompson was arrested and charged with First-Degree Murder while Engaged in Aggravated Child Abuse," and the sao5.org release reports he was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Multiple sources state the death occurred in a camper. Lawandcrime notes the mother "was staying in Thompson's camper" and CBS12 says they "stayed at Thompson's camper." NY Post references "the camper they shared." Living in a camper at a campground represents non-traditional housing, though it is not explicitly characterized as temporary shelter or homelessness.
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
CBS12 reports "Thompson was a suspect in a child abuse investigation in 2019," after a 4-year-old's arm was broken; "He was subject to an injunction to prevent child abuse. He later violated the injunction by having firearms in his possession. That led to his arrest on a misdemeanor charge." This criminal history predates and is separate from the fatal incident.
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
The fatality report states MCSO "found a pipe with THC in it, and an empty baggie in the paramour's wallet," and that "The paramour consented to a drug screen and was positive for THC."
Notable Details
A notable systemic detail is Thompson's prior history: CBS12 reports he "was a suspect in a child abuse investigation in 2019" involving a 4-year-old whose arm was broken, was placed under "an injunction to prevent child abuse," and was arrested for violating it by possessing firearms — yet he was permitted to care for Jacklyn. Sources also note he delayed seeking medical care (claiming poor cell service prevented a 911 call) and waited roughly 25-30 minutes for the mother to arrive rather than calling for help, and that hospital staff flagged the injuries as suspicious, triggering the investigation that led to his conviction and life sentence.
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