A judge has delivered a scathing rebuke to the parents of a three-year-old girl who died after suffering severe neglect in a condemned apartment in upstate New York.
Joycelynn Ann Dylewski died on February 19, 2025, after enduring conditions authorities described as ‘among the worst’ they had seen.
Investigators arriving at the Dylewski family’s apartment in Corinth, New York found bugs crawling on the child’s face and scalp, teeth described as “rotten and black,” and a cockroach that fell from her winter hat when it was removed. The property was later condemned.
Prosecutors said Joycelynn developed severe anemia as a result of the prolonged lice infestation, which caused damage to her heart and other organs. She had also been given clonidine, a medication typically used to treat high blood pressure.
Judge furious at parents
Her parents, Matthew Dylewski, 34, and Samantha Dylewski, 33, both pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide and were each sentenced to up to four years in prison.
At Matthew’s sentencing, Saratoga County Judge James Davis did not hold back.
“You failed as a parent,” Davis told him.
“Your entire job was to keep her safe. She was a three-year-old, and you failed in the most horrific way. She was completely reliant upon you. This was completely preventable, and it’s unconscionable.”
Speaking before his sentence was handed down, Matthew addressed the court.
“I totally wish that it didn’t happen,” he said.
“I wish it would be that I died instead of my daughter. I still think that to this day.”
Samantha appeared before the same judge days earlier and received a similar sentence. Judge Davis told her that Joycelynn’s suffering had been visible to everyone around her, including her own siblings.
“Your daughter suffered over a long period of time,” he said.
“Even the other children could see that she suffered because of your neglect. It’s a gift to have a child. You had several children, and all of them suffered at your hands.”
Samantha told the court she accepted full responsibility.
“As their mother, it’s my duty to protect them from harm, and I failed,” she said.
In addition to their prison terms, both parents have been barred from contacting their four surviving children until 2038.
READ MORE:
- Amber Heard shares rare photos of new life after changing her name
- Donald Trump’s unexpected nickname for Barron sparks reactions
