GOSHEN, Ind. (WOWO)  — An Elkhart man has pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the death of his two-year-old son during an 18-hour police standoff that ended in tragedy in July 2024. Court records show 37-year-old Ryan Snyder admitted Thursday that he caused the death of his son, Jaxon Snyder, by l ying on him during the standoff at his home on Pendleton Drive. Snyder told the judge he knew right from wrong at the time but was mentally ill and experiencing active psychosis according to WNDU. Police were called to the home on the night of July 6, 2024, after the children’s mother reported receiving a video call in which Snyder allegedly threatened to kill the children. Negotiators spent hours attempting to make contact, but Snyder refused to surrender. SWAT officers entered the home the following afternoon and took him into custody. Inside, officers found Jaxon dead. Snyder’s four-year-old daughter was unharmed physically, though police described the circumstances as traumatic. Snyder originally faced a murder charge, but prosecutors removed the count as part of the plea agreement. He instead pleaded guilty to two felony counts of neglect of a dependent and one felony count of criminal recklessness. He has undergone multiple psychiatric evaluations since his arrest. Snyder is scheduled to be sentenced January 8, 2026. The post Sentencing Set for Elkhart Man in Toddler’s Death appeared first on WOWO News/Talk 92.3 FM and 1190 AM. ...read more read less