Local Leaders Call for Tougher Child Neglect Legislation
Legislators and local law enforcement officials held a press conference announcing new legislation that would stiffen penalties for child neglect. (Aidan Cahill)
The Death of a three-year-old girl in Corinth has prompted members of the state legislature to push for a new law aimed at increasing penalties for Child Neglect.
The bill, named “Joycelynn’s Law,” is named for Joycelynn Ann Dylewski who died in February 2025 after being found covered in lice and struggling to breathe in Corinth.
The death of Joycelynn Ann Dylewski and subsequent outrage over the 1⅓ to four year sentence for her parents for causing her death prompted the new bills
After her death, Dylewski’s parents Matthew and Samantha were arrested and eventually plead guilty to criminally negligent homicide and lost custody of their other four children. In June, the two were sentenced to 1⅓ to four years in prison — the max penalty under New York Law.
This sentence is what prompted Senator Jim Tedisco and Assembly members Marry Beth Walsh and Matt Simpson to propose legislation that would enact severe penalties when a parent or guardian causes the death or injury of a child through neglect.
The proposed legislation would amend the current statute for endangering the welfare of a child by creating a new felony charge, aggravated endangering the welfare of a child, resulting in sentences of 25 years to life for causing the death of a child and 5 to 15 years for causing severe injury.
In a press conference held on Aug. 4, Senator Tedisco outlined the reasons for the law, arguing that the sentence didn’t provide justice for the three-year-old.
“What we’re trying to do is provide justice,” Senator Tedesco said. “We’re not going to get the justice for Jocelyn, but the only good thing maybe is we can get some justice from some other children, and possibly send a message to individuals who are going to provide this type of neglect, this type of care, this type of trauma to young children.”
Tedisco also talked about the condition that Dylewski was found in, emphasizing the need for new legislation.
“The child had not visited a doctor or a dentist in close to one year,” Senator Tedisco said. “Her teeth were decayed and blacking. Her body was full of lice. She was skin and bones not getting nutrition, and she was given clonidine, which is a drug not prescribed for her.”
The legislators were joined at the press conference by Saratoga County Sheriff Jeffery Brown and District Attorney Brett Eby, both of whom spoke about the case and offered support for the legislation. Brown said the legislation helps solve a gap in the current laws by introducing more accountability in the system.
“Accountability when we make an arrest, we get a conviction is important,” Brown said. “The laws simply do not allow these defendants charged with these types of fact patterns to be held appropriately accountable.”
Eby, meanwhile, expressed similar sentiments and also announced the creation of a new task force to deal with child abuse in Saratoga County.
“In the next few days, we’re going to be announcing the members of the Child Safety Review Commission, which is a multi-discipline effort that’s going to have Saratoga County residents that work in the school system, family court system, law enforcement, legislators to try to have a holistic approach to see where the gaps are in the system, so we can prevent future tragedies,” Eby said.
The bill has yet to receive a number in the assembly and is currently being reviewed by the Rules Committee of the State Senate. In addition, Senator Tedisco’s Office is circulating a petition on his website encouraging passage of the bill.