On May 2, 2022, emergency medical personnel were alerted to a child in critical condition and transported Jacklyn to the hospital, where efforts to save her were ultimately unsuccessful. The attending medical examiner reported that Jacklyn’s injuries indicated that her body had been subjected to extreme physical force, causing her to be bent backward beyond her natural limits.
Following nearly two hours of jury deliberation, Thompson was found guilty of murder by the Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office. On the day of the incident, Jacklyn’s mother had entrusted her care to Thompson before going to work. Approximately 25 minutes after leaving, she received a distressing call from him, indicating that something was wrong with her daughter.
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Upon her return home, the mother discovered Jacklyn in a critical state—unresponsive, with a weak pulse and an enlarged abdomen. In a desperate attempt to save her, both Thompson and the mother transported Jacklyn to a nearby hospital when she stopped breathing. The mother instructed Thompson to contact emergency services, and an ambulance was dispatched to their location.
Medical professionals at the hospital suspected internal bleeding and promptly notified law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families regarding the situation.
During subsequent questioning by investigators, Thompson asserted that he had been in another room when he heard a loud sound and found Jacklyn unresponsive. Despite being the only adult present with her, he claimed ignorance regarding how her injuries occurred.
An autopsy conducted on September 1, 2022, determined that Jacklyn died from traumatic injuries to her torso, which included a severed spine and internal bleeding. The Medical Examiner’s Office concluded that Thompson had exerted considerable force on both the upper and lower parts of Jacklyn’s body, resulting in severe bending beyond her natural range of motion.
State Attorney Bill Gladson remarked on the case, stating, “This individual has taken the life of an innocent child, and today the justice system has ensured that he will never be free again. A life sentence is insufficient for such malevolence.”
