Mother who left toddler to die while she went on vacation gets life

CLEVELAND (TCD) -- A 32-year-old mother will spend the rest of her life behind bars after leaving her toddler home alone to die while she went on vacation last year. 

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley announced March 18 that Kristel Candelario was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the June 2023 aggravated murder of her 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn Candelario. Candelario pleaded guilty in February to one count of aggravated murder and one count of endangering children.

On June 6, 2023, Candelario left her daughter home alone near Lorain Avenue and West 97th Street from June 6 until June 16 to travel to Detroit and Puerto Rico. Upon her return, Candelario reportedly found her child unresponsive inside a Pack-N-Play pen. She called the Cleveland Division of Police, who subsequently responded with the Cleveland Division of Fire and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene.

Police noticed the liner in the Pack-N-Play was "soiled with urine and feces with soiled blankets." At the time of her death, prosecutors said the toddler was "extremely dehydrated."

In a statement, O’Malley said, "Today, we remember Jailyn – a beautiful baby girl who was taken from this world due to her mother’s unimaginable selfishness. The thought of going on vacation for 10 days and leaving your child to starve to death in her Pack-N-Play is a new low in parental care."

Cleveland Division of Police Chief Dorothy Todd added, "Each and every homicide that occurs in our city is significant, but when it involves a child, it is even more devastating."

MORE:

• Kristel Candelario Sentenced to Life in Prison Without the Possibility of Parole for Leaving Her 16-Month-Old Daughter Alone and Unattended for More Than a Week While on Vacation - Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office
• Mom who left toddler alone for over a week while she went on vacation pleads guilty to murder, 2/22/2024 - TCD