On a seemingly serene late summer morning in Odessa, Texas, young Jaylin Schwarz bounces on a trampoline. At first glance, it might appear like any other scene of an 8-year-old enjoying outdoor play. However, this is far from a carefree moment for Jaylin. Instead of playing, she is enduring a punishment, compelled to jump in sweltering temperatures that exceed 100 degrees. Her only respite, a brief water break, is contingent upon her continuous jumping.
Despite her best efforts, fatigue and thirst soon overpower Jaylin. Yet, the harsh punishment persists, denying her the much-needed hydration. On the trampoline, the heat reaches a staggering 110 degrees—a temperature at which even an adult would struggle without water.
Alysha Anderton, a mother deeply devoted to her two young daughters born just a year apart, has been confronting a challenging battle with addiction. Recognizing her current limitations, she makes a heart-wrenching decision in the hope of securing a better future for her children. Alysha chooses to temporarily relinquish her parental rights, entrusting her stepsister Ashley Schwarz and her husband, Daniel, with the care of her girls while she focuses on recovery.
Alysha anticipates this arrangement to be short-lived, envisioning frequent visits with her daughters until she can once again embrace the role of full-time mom. With promises of a family reunion on the horizon, she places her trust in Ashley, grateful that Jaylin and her sister Jayde will have a loving and secure environment while she works towards a healthier life.
She relinquishes her parental rights and allows her stepsister, Ashley Schwarz, and her husband, Daniel, to take over custody of the girls while she works on getting healthy.
Alysha believes this will only be temporary, and she will be able to see the girls often until she is able to be their full-time mom again. Promising to reunite as a family again soon, Ashley is thankful Jaylin and Jayde have a safe and loving home until she is better.
Jumping on a trampoline is something Jaylin Schwarz does for fun. But the activity has been used by her guardians, Ashley and Daniel Schwarz, as a form of punishment.
Other innocent activities, such as writing lines to improve her handwriting skills, carrying weights in a hallway, or picking up dog feces, were also used by Jaylin’s guardians.
As a punishment, Jaylin is forced to write lines over and over again until she is told to stop, she is forced to carry weights from one end of the hall to the other and back again, or she picks up dog feces with her bare hands. When the chore is not a punishment, she gets to use gloves.
On August 29, this life-threatening punishment of non-stop jumping on the trampoline takes a deadly turn for Jaylin because the door to the house is locked, there is no access to water, and she has been jumping for hours in the hot summer heat.
After three hours of jumping on the trampoline with temperatures hovering around 110 degrees, Jaylin passes out.
Joining Nancy Grace today:
Additional Guests
- Kenneth “Tray” Gober – Managing Partner of Lee, Gober & Reyna; Instagram & Facebook: LeeGoberReynaLawFirm
- Tom Green – Former Chief Deputy Washoe County Sheriff’s Office; Homicide Detective & Cold Case Squad Burglary/Fraud Detective (high-tech surveillance & covert surveillance); Currently, a Private Investigator & Owner: Nevada Investigative Services LLC
- Lynn Warriors – Founder and Executive Director of Lynn’s Warriors- an organization committed to ending human trafficking and sexual exploitation, & Host of Lynn’s Warriors on YouTube; X: @lynns_warriors YouTube: @LynnsWarriors
- Erica Miller – Digital Content Manager / Digital Executive Producer at KMID Big 2 News; Instagram: @erica_miller_writes
“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.
[Feature Photo: Handout]
