An Ohio woman faces murder charges in connection with the death of her 16-month-old daughter. The woman allegedly left the toddler alone at home for a period of 10 days while she went on vacation, only to discover the child’s lifeless body upon her return. Kristel Candelario, aged 31, was apprehended and accused of causing her baby daughter, Jailyn’s death on June 18. According to NBC News, Candelario traveled to Detroit and Puerto Rico during her absence, as stated in the affidavit.
Upon returning to her Cleveland residence on West 97th Street on June 16th, Kristel found her daughter unresponsive. Candelario confessed to investigators, with the assistance of an interpreter, that she had left her baby unattended at home and had discovered her severely dehydrated. The affidavit revealed that the child’s playpen contained soiled blankets and a saturated bottom liner stained with urine and feces.
Emergency personnel, upon their arrival, pronounced the child deceased. While the exact reasons for Candelario not seeking help in caring for her child during her travels remain unclear, authorities asserted that she had made no prior arrangements for her baby daughter’s care. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office indicated that there were no signs of trauma, but confirmed that the child had been left alone for approximately 10 days and subsequently died, according to a police statement.
Upon learning of the tragedy, neighbors expressed their distress, with some stating that they had previously looked after the toddler and wished Candelario had reached out to them for assistance. People magazine reported that a 13-year-old acquainted with the child described her as amazing and adorable, stating that Jailyn did not deserve what happened to her and that they missed her dearly. Another resident remembered the child as always happy.
An acquaintance informed News5 Cleveland that this was not the first time Candelario had left her baby daughter home alone, despite numerous warnings from neighbors. Candelario had been employed as a building substitute at Citizen Academy Glenville, an elementary school in Cleveland, since November 2022. However, she was terminated following her arrest, as reported by WEWS-TV.
According to officials from Children and Family Services, there is no record of previous cases involving Candelario. She is presently being held at Cuyahoga County jail on a $1 million bond. It is unclear whether she has obtained legal representation or entered a plea. Her next scheduled hearing is on June 28 at 8:30 am.