Two people in Texas have been charged with capital murder after they allegedly forced an 8-year-old girl to jump on a trampoline in extreme heat as punishment.
Police in Odessa, Texas, responded to a 911 call in August for a medical issue, and when they arrived, they found the child dead at the scene. Last week, the police department received the final autopsy report in the girl’s death and on Monday arrested and charged Daniel Schwarz, 44, and 34-year-old Ashley Schwarz with murder.
“Investigation revealed that the 8-year-old child had been punished and was not allowed to eat breakfast and was required to jump on the trampoline without stopping for an extended period of time. Further investigation revealed that the 8-year-old child was not allowed to drink any water because she was not jumping,” the police said in a statement.
After the Odessa Police Department received a search warrant, they measured the temperature of the trampoline, which registered at 110 degrees. Police said that a temperature reading of the ground nearby clocked in at 150 degrees.
The autopsy report listed the child’s cause of death as dehydration and manner of death as homicide.
Both of the Schwarzs were given $500,000 bond according to jail records and face up to life in prison or the death penalty if convicted of the capital murder charges.
