CLEVELAND (Court TV) — An Ohio mother has pleaded guilty in the death of her 16-month-old daughter, whom she left home alone for ten days.
Kristel Candelario (Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department via AP)
Kristel Candelario, 32, was arrested in June 2023 after police said she abandoned her daughter while vacationing in Michigan and Puerto Rico from June 6 to June 16.
Prosecutors said the child was “extremely dehydrated at the time of death.” Her body was found in a Pack-N-Play “soiled with urine and feces,” states a press release.
On Thursday, prosecutors announced Candelario pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of endangering children. She will be sentenced March 18.
“This case is one of those truly unimaginable cases that will stick with me for many years to come,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “As prosecutors, it is our job to represent the victims and today we spoke on behalf of 16-month-old Jailyn — who is no longer with us — due to the selfish decisions her mother made. This conviction today, is the first step towards justice for Jailyn.”
