CLEVELAND, OH – An Ohio woman has been handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the murder of her young daughter. Kristel Candelario, 32, confessed to leaving her 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn Candelario, unattended for ten days in a playpen while she vacationed in Detroit and Puerto Rico.
In a recent court hearing, Candelario claimed that she has been forgiven by both “God and my daughter.” The toddler was discovered lifeless in their Cleveland residence in June 2023.
County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan, in his sentencing remarks, compared Candelario’s future to the confinement she imposed on her daughter. He noted that unlike Jailyn, Candelario would be provided with food and water in prison.
Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley expressed his shock at the case, stating that leaving a child to die of starvation while on vacation represented a new level of parental neglect.
Candelario had previously admitted to charges of aggravated murder and child endangerment in February. The Prosecutor’s Office reported that on June 6 of the previous year, Candelario abandoned her daughter at home and did not return until ten days later.
Upon her return, Candelario found Jailyn unresponsive and alerted the authorities. A subsequent investigation by the Cleveland Police Department’s Homicide Unit revealed that the child had been left alone from June 6 to June 16. The child was found in a playpen, severely dehydrated and surrounded by soiled blankets.
Candelario, who has battled depression and other mental health issues, has reportedly sought forgiveness through daily prayer. After the sentencing, Cleveland Police Chief Dorothy Todd commended the efforts of the homicide unit in bringing justice for Jailyn.