Taylor Syring Murder Case: Who Killed Taylor and How did Taylor Syring Die? – A Texas stepmother was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after her six-year-old stepson drowned while in her care. A week before his death, the little boy’s father confronted her about a murder she had committed thirty years ago.
Laura Day, 57, was convicted of capital murder in 2013 after the death of little Taylor Syring in October 2012. However, her husband, David Syring, was unaware that she had previously been convicted of killing an ex-boyfriend in 1982.
"He was a big personality, big life."
For Friday's 20/20, Taylor Syring's biological parents remember the "caring" six-year-old who drowned during an October 2012 trip to the beach with his stepmom Laura Day.@JohnQABC reports Friday at 9/8c on @ABC. https://t.co/k0ez4xC4k8 pic.twitter.com/eslStiQh2M
— 20/20 (@ABC2020) June 1, 2022
On October 5, 2012, Taylor Syring drowned off the coast of Corpus Christi, Texas, and investigators first assumed it was a terrible accident. However, their investigation quickly revealed that this was not the case, and the police were quick to label the incident as a homicide.
‘ABC 20/20: Wave of Deceit‘ covers the police investigation that led to a bombshell revelation and followed the viewer through the tragic death. If you’re interested in learning about Taylor Syring murder, then keep reading below!
Recommended: Where is Taylor Syring’s Father David Syring Now?
What Caused Taylor Syring’s Death?
Taylor Syring, who died on May 10, 2012, was a vibrant and enthusiastic 5-year-old at the time of his death. He was born on July 31, 2006. He was only two months away from turning six, and he appeared to be the apple of his parent’s eyes. Taylor’s instructors at school also commented on how brilliant he was and that he had a promising future ahead of him.
Taylor’s father, David Syring, was divorced from his mother, Kelly, and the former was married to Laura Day. According to the “20/20: Wave of Deceit” episode, David and Laura’s relationship had just been a few months old, and Taylor Syring had grown close to his stepmother. David was also pleased to see a link form between his kid and his second wife, and everything seemed to be going smoothly at the time.
However, on October 5, 2012, after Laura picked Taylor up from school, things went horribly wrong. Taylor expressed a desire to enjoy a picnic at the beach on Friday, and Laura quickly agreed. They drove back to the house, packed their belongings, and immediately proceeded down to the beach to have some fun.
Laura then revealed that she took Taylor to a more remote section of the beach because the main one was too crowded. Taylor Syring was wearing a lifejacket, but the lifejacket was giving him a rash, according to Laura.
As a result, the stepmother removed the lifejacket and advised the child to use extreme caution when playing in the shallow water. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas, and Taylor perished after succumbing to the waves. Laura had already observed her stepson laying face down in the sea when she noticed him. Laura, rather than phoning for aid, drove 12 miles to a hospital, where Taylor was pronounced brought dead on arrival.
Who Killed Taylor and What Was the Reason of Murder?
When law enforcement officers first looked into Taylor’s death, they assumed it was an accident. They didn’t rule out the potential of homicide, though, because they knew Laura was with the boy when he drowned. When the investigation officer questioned Taylor Syring’s father, they discovered that Taylor’s father, David, had an affair with Laura in early 2012 while still married to Kelly Syring.
Kelly and David’s divorce was also difficult because the former claimed she was still in love with David, and Kelly claimed she loved Taylor too much. Despite this, David married Laura in a hasty wedding barely three months after their divorce, implying that he was torn between his current and ex-wife.
Laura Day, on the other hand, stated that she was not jealous of Kelly or the fact that she had a son with her ex-husband once authorities interrogated her. When the cops pushed Laura, her description of the events leading up to Taylor’s death revealed a great deal of carelessness on her part.
To begin with, she led the five-year-old to a section of the beach where there were no lifeguards or other people. Furthermore, she removed his life jacket and allowed him to play in the shallow waves. Laura also failed to call for aid after she saw Taylor entirely senseless. The nearest hospital was just three miles away from the accident location, but the stepmother, Laura, drove to a hospital that was 12 miles away.
After considering all of these factors, the police arrested Laura Day and charged her with child endangerment. Laura, it turned out, had an extensive criminal record, including a second-degree murder conviction from 1982.
Laura was convicted of first-degree capital murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2013 after being brought to trial for Taylor’s killing. On the other hand, Laura Day has maintained her innocence and repeatedly says that it was an accident.
20/20 aired Friday, June 3 (9-11pm EDT), on ABC, and the next day on Hulu.
