On June 18, 2023, Kristel Candelario, a resident of Cleveland (Ohio), was arrested and charged with the murder of her 16-month-old baby daughter, Jailyn.
According to the Ohio Police Department, Kristen Candelario went on vacation to Detroit and Puerto Rico and left her baby daughter Jailyn at home all alone. When she returned home to Cleveland on June 16, her daughter was unresponsive, according to the Police.
The medical examiner's office said that there were no trauma signs on the baby's body. Investigators concluded that the baby had died during the neglect period.
Candelario told investigators that she left her child at home alone and unsupervised, and after coming back home from vacation, she discovered that her daughter was highly dehydrated.
According to the police report, the daughter's playpen was filled with 'soiled blankets' and 'a bottom liner soaked in urine and feces.'
Emergency officials declared the child dead at the scene. It is unclear why Candelario didn't ask for help in taking care of her baby while she was on the trip. Officials discovered that Candelario made no arrangements for her daughter before she left.
Online court records indicate that Candelario was employed at Citizens Academy Glenville, a public elementary school in the city of Cleveland, but was fired following this incident. Candelario is currently being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail in Cleveland, Ohio, with a bond set at $1 million.
Neighbors expressed their emotions upon hearing the news, with many of them stating that they had previously looked after the toddler and wished Candelario had reached out to them.
One of the 13-year-olds who knew the child described her as “amazing and really cute.” “Jailyn didn’t deserve this, and I really miss her,” she added. Another resident remembered Jailyn as “always happy. She was a happy baby. She was always smiling, and asking questions. She was a beautiful baby.”
According to a friend of Candelario's, it has been observed on multiple occasions that Kristel has left her infant daughter unattended.
Children and Family Services officials confirmed that Candelario has no prior criminal history.
The prosecutor, Michael O'Malley, said that it is "inadmissible" for a mother to go on vacation for 10 days without taking care of her child. "As parents, it is our job to look out for our children. The thought of this child suffering during her final days alone is unimaginable, and we will fight for justice," he added.
It's unclear if Candelario had a lawyer. Court records didn't list one, and the county's public defender's office said that it was not representing her.
(Input from the various media sources)
