16 Year Old Dylan Schumaker Beats His Girlfriend’s Toddler to Death

18 Jul

Dylan Schumaker was babysitting Ashlee Smith’s two children while she was at work. She returned to find that her eldest child, two year old Austin Smith, had been murdered.

Who is Dylan Schumaker?

Dylan Schumaker is lead into the court room. Photo: OkayBliss

Dylan Schumaker was a 16 year old living in Springville, New York at the time of the murder. He lived with his mother and Ashlee Smith, his girlfriend, along with her two sons. He was not related to the children.

Dylan Schumaker murders Austin Smith

On March 19, 2013, in Springville, New York, a 16-year-old named Dylan Schumaker was taking care of his girlfriend Ashlee Smith's two young sons while she was working at a restaurant.

When the night was over, one of the sons was found dead, and Schumaker was arrested for killing him. It was later discovered that he had severely beaten Austin, the older son who was almost two years old, and sadly, Austin did not survive.

"I never wanted to hurt Austin. I never wanted Austin to die," said 17-year-old Dylan Schumaker, who was apologizing tearfully to his 19-year-old girlfriend in a courtroom in Buffalo.

The jurors who found Dylan Schumaker guilty of second-degree murder didn't believe his apology.

State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller also didn't believe it. He gave Dylan Schumaker the maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

Judge Boller told Schumaker, who had just turned 17, that he knew right from wrong at the age of 16. He knew it was wrong to keep hitting Austin's head.

During the trial, Dylan Schumaker admitted to hitting Austin, who was almost two years old, because he was crying and disturbing his baby brother. He claimed to have put a pillow on Austin's head and punched it to stop the crying.

The judge described the trial testimony as heartbreaking. Witnesses described the attack and the severe head injuries that led to Austin's brain bleeding and death.

The judge expressed doubt about Dylan Schumaker's claim that he didn't intend to kill Austin or realize the consequences of his actions.

Judge Boller called Dylan Schumaker a manipulator and deceiver.

The judge referred to a phone conversation Dylan Schumaker had with his mother while awaiting trial. In the conversation, Schumaker said that he could use his age and appearance as white man to gain sympathy from the jury.

The judge also mentioned the numerous texts Schumaker sent while babysitting, where he tried to engage in sexual activities and sell drugs.

The judge emphasized that Dylan Schumaker caused immense pain and grief to many people at the age of 17. He received letters from 13 individuals describing how the crime affected them.

Austin's grandfather, Michael Smith, told the judge that their family's life was destroyed because this tragedy didn't have to happen. He pleaded with the judge to consider their feelings in sentencing Dylan Schumaker.

Dylan Schumaker's attorney agreed with the family's sentiments, saying that if Ashlee and her children hadn't been thrown out of their home, they wouldn't have ended up at Dylan's house. He argued that Dylan was ill-equipped to take care of the children due to his tough childhood and anger issues.

The judge questioned the defense attorney about the safety of the community if Dylan Schumaker was released after 15 years.

The prosecution argued that blaming anyone other than Dylan for the tragedy went against reality. They stated that what Dylan did to Austin was not something a normal 16-year-old would do, regardless of his lack of experience as a babysitter.

Dylan Schumaker turned to Ashlee Smith, his girlfriend, and tearfully apologized, expressing his love for Austin and his regrets for what happened. He acknowledged his troubled family life but thanked his family for their support.

As he was taken into court for sentencing, Dylan Schumaker cried out, proclaiming his love for Austin and stating that he never meant to hurt him.

Medical Testimony about Austin Smith’s Injuries

The doctor who examined the victim provided testimony that revealed the injuries Austin had suffered. Austin had ruptured blood vessels in his left ear and near the right eye, bleeding in the retina and perioptic nerve, as well as bleeding between the layers of the brain.

The doctor concluded that the cause of death was a severe brain injury resulting from the violent back-and-forth movement of the child's head caused by the blows inflicted by the defendant. The doctor also stated that the child's injuries were not consistent with a simple slip and fall, but rather indicated multiple impacts.

Further evidence, including text messages and the defendant's own testimony, indicated that the child was initially injured before 5:00 p.m., and the defendant continued to inflict further injuries over several hours in the evening.

The defendant admitted to hitting the child multiple times, including slapping him and slamming his head on the ground during a diaper change. The attacks escalated, with the defendant eventually placing a pillow over the child's head and repeatedly punching him. The doctor confirmed that the severe brain injury caused the child's death, and the child did not survive long after sustaining that injury.

The evidence also showed that the defendant frequently paused his attacks on the child to send text messages. He initially claimed that the child had fallen, but continued to engage in other activities, such as flirting with another person and attempting to sell drugs, while intermittently attacking the child throughout the evening.

This evidence supports the conclusion that the defendant intentionally caused harm to the 23-month-old child while engaging in other personal and business activities. It is reasonable to infer that the defendant intended the foreseeable consequences of his actions, as a jury is entitled to do so.

Dylan Schumaker is Sentenced

Justice M. William Boller sentenced Dylan Schumaker to 25 years to life in prison for causing the death of Austin Smith.

In February 2016, the Court of Appeals decided to decrease Dylan Schumaker's prison term to 18 years to life, meaning he could be considered for parole in 2031 after serving 18 years behind bars. After his release, he will continue to be monitored and supervised by the state.

Currently 26 years old, Schumaker has already spent 9 years in prison since his conviction in 2014. He is currently serving the remaining portion of his sentence at the Clinton Correctional Facility in New York.