An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after she was left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation has been sentenced to life in prison with zero chance of parole.
32-year-old Kristel Candelario pleaded guilty last month to aggravated murder and child endangerment as part of a plea deal with Cuyahoga County prosecutors, who threw away two murder counts and a felonious assault charge.
Authorities have revealed that Candelario left her daughter, Jailyn, in her Cleveland home when she embarked on vacation to Detroit and Puerto Rico in June 2023. Upon her return 10 days later, she discovered that the girl was not breathing in the playpen and called 911. Emergency responders discovered that the child was “extremely dehydrated” and certified her dead shortly after they arrived.
An autopsy carried out by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s office determined that the child died of starvation and severe dehydration.
County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan told Candelario that she committed “the ultimate betrayal” by leaving her daughter alone without food.
Sheehan said: “Just as you didn’t let Jailyn out of her confinement, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom. The only difference will be, the prison will at least feed you and give you liquid that you denied her.”
Candelario said she has been praying daily for forgiveness.
She said: “There’s so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn. I’m extremely hurt about everything that happened. I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through … God and my daughter have forgiven me.”
