3-Year-Old Girl Dies from Severe Lice Infestation After Parents’ Neglect in Upstate New York – Parents Sentenced

A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in a small upstate New York town when a three-year-old girl lost her life because of a severe lice infestation that her parents failed to treat. The neglect was so extreme that it left the little one anemic and ultimately caused her death.

Joycelynn Dylewski was discovered struggling to breathe in her family’s apartment in Corinth, roughly an hour outside Albany, on February 19, 2025. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, but she didn’t make it. A medical examiner later ruled her death a homicide, pointing to clear signs of long-term neglect that had taken a devastating toll on her tiny body.

Her parents, Matthew and Samantha Dylewski, both pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in connection with their youngest child’s passing. This month, they each received the maximum sentence of up to four years in prison.

The infestation had ravaged Joycelynn to the point where she developed anemia, which damaged her heart and other organs. Tests also found traces of clonidine, a blood pressure medication, in her system. At the time, Samantha reportedly tried to shift some blame onto the children, saying Joycelynn fought too much during attempts to treat her scalp. She also claimed the medication had been left out accidentally by one of the siblings.

But evidence told a different story. Text messages between the couple showed they had discussed giving the drug to Joycelynn, and soon after her death, someone searched online about how long it would remain in the body. Samantha had even suggested their daughter had a weak heart, though doctors confirmed it was perfectly normal.

The family’s apartment was in shocking condition when authorities looked closer. Walls were covered in grime, garbage littered the floors, and the carpets were filthy and matted down. Cleaning crews later documented the mess, revealing expired food and wrappers scattered across bedrooms, along with overflowing garbage bags, crumbs, and children’s toys piled around the furniture. Flies buzzed around, rotting food sat out, and the kitchen sink was clogged with muck. Other insects, including a dead cockroach, were even found on the little girl’s body. Her teeth were described as rotten and black.

The judge handling the case called the presentence report one of the most horrific he had ever seen. During sentencing, he reminded Samantha, who was sobbing in court, that her daughter had suffered for a long time and that even the other children noticed it. He emphasized what a gift children are and how all of them had endured pain because of the parents’ failures.

Samantha told the court she loved her kids but didn’t know how things had gotten so bad. She admitted failing in her duty to protect them and said she didn’t want sympathy or forgiveness, only wishing she could have her baby girl back. Matthew, during his own hearing, expressed deep regret, saying he wished he had died instead of his daughter and that the thought still haunts him every day.

The couple also received a full restraining order, barring them from any contact with their four surviving children until 2038. In response to the case, state lawmakers have proposed “Joycelynn’s Law,” which would increase the maximum sentence for criminally negligent homicide to 20 years if passed.

This story is a painful reminder of how quickly neglect can spiral into unimaginable loss, leaving a community mourning a little girl whose life was cut far too short.