Ballston Spa—Senator Jim Tedisco (R,C-Ballston Lake) today announced he has launched a new online petition drive to harness “people-power” to help pass his new public safety legislation, “Joycelynn’s Law” in memory of a three-year-old Corinth girl who died as a result of serious neglect from her parents, and to protect children in the future.

“Joycelynn’s Law” (S.10670) would raise the penalty for criminally negligent homicide of a child from a Class E felony to a Class A-1 felony by establishing the crime of “Aggravated Endangering the Welfare of a Child.” The bill increases the maximum prison sentence for aggravated endangering the welfare of a child leading to death to 25 years to life and 5 to 15 years in prison for very serious and heinous cases of child endangerment where the child survives.

Senator Tedisco is sponsoring the bill in the state Senate and Assemblyman Matt Simpson (R,C-Adirondack) is sponsoring it in the Assembly. Joycelynn’s Law has the support of Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby and Saratoga County Sheriff Jeff Brown.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION

Joycelynn had a severe lice infestation that lasted weeks, possibly months with no medical care, which developed into anemia. Her teeth were rotten and black, and she had received no medical care in 10 months. The prescription medication Clonidine was found in her system and given to her without a prescription.

The Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office ruled Joycelynn’s death a homicide due to complications of “acute and chronic neglect” describing the girl as having matted hair and living in unclean conditions. The Judge in the case described the conditions Joycelynn was living in as “deplorable and unsuitable for any child to be living in.”

Unbelievably, Joycelynn’s parents, Matthew and Samantha Dylewski, were convicted of criminally negligent homicide in the February 2025 death of their daughter. Saratoga County District Attorney Brett Eby prosecuted Joycelynn’s parents to the full extent of the law and got the maximum sentence that’s currently available to judges which is 1 and 1/3 to 4 years in state prison.

Under Senator Tedisco’s bill, aggravated endangering the welfare of a child resulting in death would become a Class A-1 felony carrying a maximum prison sentence of 25 years to life.  The bill also addresses aggravated endangering the welfare of child that does not result in a child’s death by making it a Class C felony which would carry a maximum prison sentence of 5 to 15 years.