In Cleveland, a 16-month-old baby girl was left alone at home for nearly 10 days. Her mother had decided to travel without making any childcare arrangements, officials reported on Thursday.
Kristel Candelario, 31, was taken into custody and charged with murder after her toddler, named Jailyn, was found unresponsive at their home.
Despite there being no visible signs of physical harm, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office’s investigation disclosed that the child was left unattended for approximately 10 days and eventually passed away.
Candelario had been on a vacation in Puerto Rico and Detroit, which was mentioned in the police affidavit supporting her arrest.
She confessed to the police that she left Jailyn comepletely alone at home, as per the details revealed by Detective Thelemon Powell Jr.’s affidavit.
Upon Candelario’s return home last Friday, she found her child to be severely dehydrated. The child’s pen was filled with soiled blankets and a urine-soaked bottom liner, as detailed by Powell.
Local residents expressed their confusion and sorrow over the baby’s untimely death. They recalled how Candelario had previously asked them to care for Jailyn, and they couldn’t comprehend why she didn’t request their assistance this time.
As of Thursday, it was unclear whether Candelario had appointed or been assigned legal representation.