A three-year-old girl died after a severe lice infestation left her anaemic, leading to organ failure. Her parents, Matthew and Samantha Dylewski, pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in connection with her death.
Details of the Incident
Joycelynn Dylewski was found struggling to breathe in her family's apartment in Corinth, New York, in February 2025. She was rushed to a hospital but later died. Medical examiners discovered she had clonidine, a blood pressure medication, in her system. The lice infestation had caused anaemia, which damaged her internal organs, including her heart.
Parental Neglect and Guilty Pleas
Investigators found evidence of acute and chronic neglect. Samantha Dylewski initially blamed her daughter for resisting lice treatment and claimed her son left clonidine accessible. However, phone records and internet searches disproved her story. Saratoga County First Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Buckley stated that text messages between the parents discussed giving the drug, and after Joycelynn's death, they searched for how long it stays in the system.
Sentencing and Proposed Legislation
Both parents were sentenced to up to four years in state prison and are prohibited from contacting their four surviving children until 2038. Judge James R. Davis described the pre-sentence report as "the most horrific he has ever read," noting the home was infested with flies, rotting food, and a clogged sink. New York State Senator James Tedisco and Assemblyman Matt Simpson proposed "Joycelynn's Law" to increase the maximum sentence for criminally negligent homicide to 20 years.
