Mother 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.

CLEVELAND - Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced Kristel Candelario, 32, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of her 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn Candelario, in June 2023. 

This is yet another heartbreaking and tragic story about an innocent child dying prematurely at the hands of an irresponsible and clearly heartless woman.

As a mom, there is no way I would ever leave my small child home alone -- for any reason! There is always a way to make something work whenever it comes to child care. Best case scenario, you can always bring your son or daughter with you if you have no one else to care for them while you leave to run errands etc.

Clearly, this 10-day vacation to Puerto Rico is beyond ridiculous and there are zero excuses for this 16-month old little girl to have been left alone and without care.

The details about the case: on June 6, 2023, Kristel Candelario left Jailyn Candelario, her 16-month-old daughter, alone and unattended at her residence near Lorain Avenue and West 97th Street in Cleveland. She did not return to her child until June 16, 2023, around 8 a.m. Upon returning, Candelario found Jailyn unresponsive and called the police. The Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) and the Cleveland Division of Fire responded to the scene and Jailyn was pronounced deceased. 

An investigation conducted by CPD’s Homicide Unit revealed that Candelario left her child alone and unattended from June 6 to June 16 to vacation in Detroit, Michigan, and in Puerto Rico. 

Her daughter Jailyn was extremely dehydrated at the time of death. Her daughter Jailyn was discovered in a Pack-N-Play pen on a liner soiled with urine and feces with soiled blankets. 

According to the defense team for Kristel Candelario, she had "ran out of her medication" and therefore was not thinking in her "right mind" and "knows what she did was wrong".

Now, within the State of Ohio, there is no set age for when a child is allowed to be legally left home alone. According to: https://octf.ohio.gov/resources-for-parents/articles/kids-home-alone

However, the prosecutors had evidence that Kristel Candelario had left her daughter Jailyn alone for two days in order to take a trip to Michigan a few weeks prior to her 10-day vacation to Puerto Rico.

And she left her daughter Jailyn in her Pack-N-Play pen with multiple pre-made bottles on both occasions.

The prosecutors also provided evidence via images taken from Kristel Candelario's social media, that showed her drinking, partying at night clubs and enjoying her time on the beach.

A prosecutor stated: "This does not display someone who has run out of their medication and is having a hard time."

The toddler was found dehydrated and emaciated

Judge Brendan Sheehan stated: "this is the ultimate act of betrayal. Leaving your baby terrified, alone, unprotected to suffer what I heard is the most gruesome death imaginable."

On February 22, 2024, Kristel Candelario pleaded guilty to the following charges:

 • One count of Aggravated Murder 

 • One count of Endangering Children 

She was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

At her sentencing Monday, forensic pathologist Elizabeth Mooney told a Cleveland courtroom that children experience the most extreme separation anxiety between nine and 18 months. She recounted Jailyn’s excruciating final days.

“The pain and suffering she endured lasted not only hours, not days, but possibly even a week,” Mooney said, fighting back tears.

“This feeling of abandonment for days on end, coupled with the pain of starvation and extreme thirst is a type of suffering I don’t think any of us could ever fully fathom.”

I realize that many parents at one time or another may find themselves in a pinch, and need to leave their children at home or may be uncertain about what age can a child or children stay home alone, especially during after-school hours, after extracurriculars or their summer break.

However, this story is clearly not the case with trying to decide whether a 16-month old baby is able to stay home alone and unattended for 10-days.

Yet, it brings up an important topic of conversation as it pertains to child safety. So before you consider leaving your child(ren) home alone and without supervision, be sure to check your state laws, ensure your child/children are reasonably mature, able to take care of themselves, and completely prepared for emergency situations ( i.e. you have an emergency family plan that you practice and review together regularly so that it is committed to memory).

And this should go without saying, however please do not put your needs and desires to go "have fun" before your children's lives and safety.

Our children didn't ask us to be here, and it is our duty as moms and dads to provide, protect and love them so they can live a FULL life.

The National SAFEKIDS Campaign recommends that no child under the age of 12 be left home alone.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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