On Thursday, February 22, a 32-year-old Cleveland woman, Kristel Candelario, pleaded guilty to the aggravated murder of her 16-month-old toddler, Jailyn Candelario. Prosecutors revealed that Candelario left the toddler “alone and unattended” at home on June 6, 2023, and did not return until June 16, 2023. This was after a week-long vacation.
In a snapshot of her callous vacation, Candelario wore jean shorts and a “Mandalorian” Star Wars t-shirt. She enjoyed her visit to a Star Wars-themed park. Despite the later admission of the sad situation she left behind in her Cleveland, Ohio, home, she smiled in the picture. Although she went with her older daughter, she left her toddler home.
Upon her return, Candelario discovered Jailyn unresponsive. She immediately contacted the police, according to a press release from Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Micheal C. O’Malley. Officials reported that when police discovered Jailyn, she was in a squalid playpen and dead.
Police indicated that Jailyn was “extremely dehydrated.” Upon investigation, authorities determined that Candelario abandoned her daughter while she vacationed in Detroit and Puerto Rico. In connection to the same case, Candelario pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder.
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Also, she pleaded guilty to one count of endangering children. However, her sentence is scheduled for March 2024. O’Malley said, “This case is one of those truly unimaginable cases that will stick with me for many years to come. It is our job to represent the victims. Today, we spoke on behalf of 16-month-old Jailyn, who is no longer with us due to her mother’s selfish decisions.”
He added, “This conviction today is the first step toward justice for Jailyn.” Candelario’s attorneys, Derek Smith and Patrick Milligan, decided not to delve into the specifics of the plea deal. In a statement, Milligan shared, “This was a real emotional day for our client. She has taken responsibility for what she did and is remorseful.”
Mitigating issues will arise during sentencing, and Candelario’s defense attorneys intend to address them. Milligan adds, “Hopefully, people will realize that she is not the monster that some see her as.” While acknowledging Candelario’s mental health issues, the attorneys refrain from giving additional details at this time.
A neighbor disclosed that this incident was not the first occasion Candelario left her baby unattended at home. An acquaintance informed News5 Cleveland, “We keep telling her not to leave her by herself. Not just me, my friend across the street too, but she always leaves her by herself.”
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Another unidentified neighbor informed CNN that Jailyn was “always a happy baby” and consistently wore a smile. According to the neighbor’s daughter, “plenty of people” were available to look after the baby.
She emphasized, “She could have knocked on any of our doors and asked us to take care of Jailyn, and we would have.” After discovering how the officials found Jailyn, the teenage neighbor shared her sorrow with the outlet.
According to reports, Candelario worked as a building substitute at Citizen Academy Glenville, an elementary school in Cleveland. However, the school relieved her of her position after her arrest, according to WEWS-TV.
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