Ohio mother Kristel Candelario has been sentenced to spend the rest of her life in prison after leaving her 16-month-old daughter alone at home while she went on vacation to Detroit, Michigan, and Puerto Rico.
This decision came after Candelario pled guilty to the murder of her daughter, Jailyn Candelario, in June 2023, according to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley.
The tragic incident
Prosecutors revealed that Candelario left her daughter unattended in a Pack-N-Play playpen for ten days while she was away.
When she returned home, she found the child unresponsive and called 9-1-1. Unfortunately, Jailyn was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was starvation and severe dehydration.
Justice served
During the sentencing hearing, County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan emphasized the severity of Candelario's actions, calling it the "ultimate betrayal."
He stated that she should spend the rest of her life in a cell without freedom, much like the confinement she subjected her daughter to.
Candelario, who admitted struggling with depression and mental health issues, expressed remorse for her actions in court, but the judge ultimately handed down the life sentence without the possibility of parole.
Community response
Following the sentencing, Prosecutor O'Malley and Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd expressed their condolences for Jailyn's tragic death. They reiterated their commitment to seeking justice for victims of such senseless acts.
O'Malley emphasized the severity of Candelario's neglect, labeling it as unimaginable selfishness, while Chief Todd highlighted the community's dedication to preventing similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
The sentencing of Kristel Candelario serves as a stark reminder of the importance of parental responsibility and the devastating consequences of neglect.
The loss of young Jailyn is a tragic reminder of the need for vigilance in protecting the most vulnerable members of society, our children.