Two Teenagers in Love. One Child Dead. The Dylan Schumaker Case
- Strange Case Files
- Feb 19
- 4 min read
On March 19, 2012, a young mother left for work in western New York, trusting her teenage boyfriend to watch her two small children. Hours later, one of them was unresponsive. What investigators later uncovered was not a sudden accident, but a timeline that unfolded over several hours, reconstructed through phone records, medical evidence, and courtroom testimony.
A Relationship That Formed Quickly
Dylan Schumaker was 16 years old. Ashley Smith, the mother of two young boys, was 19.
Schumaker was not the father of either child, but he had become part of Ashley’s life and was sometimes left to help with childcare. At the time, she had two sons:
Austin Smith, 23 months old
An infant brother
On the afternoon of March 19, Ashley left for work, leaving both children in Schumaker’s care.
Nothing at that point suggested the night would end the way it did.
The Evening of March 19, 2012
Evidence presented in court later showed that Austin was injured over a period of time rather than in a single incident.
Investigators were able to reconstruct much of the evening through:
Text messages sent from Schumaker’s phone
Statements he later made
Medical findings and testimony
At some point before about 5:00 p.m., Austin was first injured.
During the hours that followed, Schumaker sent a series of text messages. He told Ashley that Austin had fallen and hit his head, an explanation that later became central to the investigation.
Phone records also showed that during this same period, he was:
Texting Ashley
Exchanging casual and flirtatious messages with another teenage girl
Messaging others about unrelated matters
Meanwhile, Austin’s condition worsened.
At approximately 8:20 p.m., Schumaker finally called 911 to report that the child was unresponsive. Emergency responders transported Austin to the hospital, but he did not survive.
Ashley Smith was at work at the time. She did not call 911 and was not present when the injuries occurred.
The infant brother, who had also been in the home, was not physically harmed.
What the Medical Evidence Showed
Medical testimony established that Austin suffered severe head trauma and multiple injuries that were not consistent with an accidental fall.
The medical examiner determined the cause of death was diffuse axonal injury, a form of traumatic brain injury caused by violent movement of the head. Additional injuries documented during examination indicated repeated force rather than a single impact.
These findings contradicted the initial explanation that Austin had simply fallen.
What Schumaker Later Admitted
During the investigation and trial, Schumaker acknowledged striking Austin and causing injuries that evening, though he argued he did not intend to cause death.
Court records state that he admitted to hitting the child multiple times and using force during a diaper change. Testimony and evidence indicated the injuries occurred over a period of hours.
This extended timeline became one of the most significant elements of the case.
The Timeline That Shaped the Trial
Prosecutors emphasized that:
The first injuries occurred hours before the 911 call
Schumaker continued texting and communicating normally during that time
Multiple opportunities existed to seek help earlier
Jurors later described the timeline as one of the most disturbing aspects of the case, because it showed the events unfolding gradually rather than suddenly.
Trial and Verdict
The case went to trial in Erie County, New York, in 2013.
Prosecutors argued that the duration of the assault, the nature of the injuries, and Schumaker’s own admissions supported a charge of second-degree murder under New York law.
The defense argued that he was young, panicked, and did not intend to kill the child.
After deliberation, the jury found Dylan Schumaker guilty of second-degree murder.
Sentencing and Appeal
In January 2014, Schumaker was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, the maximum sentence allowed for that conviction.
In 2016, an appellate court upheld the conviction but reduced the sentence to 18 years to life, citing factors including his age, lack of prior criminal record, and personal background.
He remains incarcerated under that sentence.
The Lasting Impact
Austin Smith was just weeks away from his second birthday.
For many who followed the case, what lingered was not only the violence itself, but the passage of time. The injuries did not happen in a single moment. Hours passed. Messages were sent. Help was delayed.
Those hours became the center of the case, and they remain the part most often remembered.
Case Facts
Location: Erie County, New York
Year: 2012
Victim: Austin Smith, 23 months old
Responsible person: Dylan SchumakerOutcome:
Convicted of second-degree murder; sentence reduced on appeal to 18 years to life
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