A man has been sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of his eight-year-old adopted daughter, who died from dehydration after being forced to jump on a trampoline in extreme heat without food or water. Daniel Schwarz entered his plea in an Odessa, Texas court, days after his wife, Ashley Schwarz, was convicted of capital murder and handed three life sentences for the same incident.
The couple’s daughter, Jaylin Schwarz, died on August 29, 2020, after being made to jump on a trampoline in temperatures of 43°C. The trampoline surface reached 110°F and the ground 150°F. Jaylin was denied food and water as punishment, and coroners ruled her death a homicide caused by dehydration.
During Ashley Schwarz's trial, Jaylin’s siblings testified that the couple often punished them by forcing them to jump on the trampoline for hours. Jaylin and her sister came under the couple’s care after their biological mother lost custody due to addiction. The mother, Alysha Anderton, told local media she last saw Jaylin alive four years before her death and that she broke down seeing her daughter in a casket.
Daniel Schwarz initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea after his wife’s conviction. A jury found Ashley guilty of intentionally causing serious bodily injury in addition to capital murder. The judge imposed three life sentences for the killing.
