A mother from Ohio, Kristel Candelario, was sentenced to life in prison without parole on Monday for the death of her 16-month-old daughter, who passed away after being left alone in a playpen for 10 days while Candelario went on vacation last summer.
Candelario, aged 32, entered a guilty plea last month to charges of aggravated murder and child endangerment, as part of an agreement with Cuyahoga County prosecutors. In exchange, two murder charges and a felonious assault charge were dropped.
Reports indicate that Candelario left her daughter, Jailyn, at their home in Cleveland when she departed for a vacation to Detroit and Puerto Rico in June 2023. Upon returning after 10 days, she discovered Jailyn unresponsive in the playpen and called emergency services. Tragically, responders found the child severely dehydrated, and she was pronounced dead shortly after.
According to the autopsy conducted by the Cuyahoga County medical examiner’s office, the cause of Jailyn’s death was determined to be starvation and severe dehydration.
During the sentencing in County Common Pleas Court, Judge Brendan Sheehan condemned Candelario for what he called “the ultimate betrayal” of leaving her daughter alone without sustenance. He stated that she should spend the rest of her life behind bars, deprived of the freedom she denied her child, though noting that prison would at least provide her with food and water.
Candelario, who has battled depression and related mental health issues, expressed remorse and stated that she prays daily for forgiveness. She acknowledged the pain of losing her daughter and emphasized that while she did not seek to justify her actions, she endured significant suffering that went unnoticed. She believes both God and her daughter have forgiven her.
