Saratoga County Judge James R. Davis has sentenced a Corinth couple to state prison after they pleaded guilty in the neglect death of their 3-year-old daughter. Samantha and Matthew Dylewski each received 1⅓ to four years after prosecutors said Joycelynn Ann Dylewski died on Feb. 19, 2025 from complications of chronic neglect tied to an untreated lice infestation and other medical neglect.
Court testimony and investigators described the Dylewskis’ Main Street apartment as squalid and later condemned, with clogged sinks, rotting food, floors that "boots stuck to," and rooms overrun by lice and other insects. Officials said first responders found Joycelynn with matted hair, widespread lice and badly decayed teeth. An inspector reported a dead cockroach falling out of her winter hat, as reported by the Times Union. The county medical examiner ruled the child's death a homicide from acute and chronic neglect, according to court filings.
Judge’s Rebuke And Prison Terms
At sentencing, Judge James R. Davis sharply criticized the parents and called the presentence report "the most horrific he has ever read." Addressing Matthew Dylewski, he said, "She was a 3-year-old, and you failed in the most horrific way," before imposing the maximum term allowed for the crime, according to the Times Union. Samantha was sentenced on June 8, and Matthew was sentenced last Monday. Both received 1⅓ to four years behind bars.
Prosecutors’ Evidence
Prosecutors told the court Joycelynn had gone about 10 months without medical care, developed anemia from the heavy lice infestation and had clonidine, a blood-pressure medication she was not prescribed, in her system. They also pointed to text messages in which the parents discussed giving the drug to the child, evidence outlined in reporting by Law&Crime.
Aftermath, Children’s Placement And Calls For Tougher Penalties
After the arrest, the village condemned the apartment and a cleanup crew cleared out the home, according to local TV coverage. Both parents were ordered not to have contact with their four surviving children until June 2038, and the relatively short maximum under New York law has prompted calls for change, with coverage noting a proposed "Joycelynn's Law" to stiffen penalties, per reporting by IBTimes.
A GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses was set up by a family member in the days after Joycelynn’s death, local reporting said, while the New York Post reported the parents posted a fundraiser the day after the child died. Authorities say the surviving children remain in relatives’ care while criminal and protective orders remain in place, and the case has sharpened debate in the Capital Region about whether state penalties for deadly neglect are strong enough.
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