Jailyn Candelario waited desperately in her Pack ‘n Play for her mother to return. It wasn’t the first time Kristel Candelario, 31, left her 16-month-old daughter unattended for a lengthy time, but it was the most heinous.
For several days, Jailyn remained trapped in her Pack ‘n Play, gradually growing weaker as her pleading cries went unanswered. She only had a few bottles of milk, which was somehow to last her some 10 days. While her mother was gone, Jailyn remained in the same soiled diaper, with urine and feces saturating her blankets and the Pack ‘n Play liner. In a despondent attempt to eat, she consumed her own feces. Out of frustration that no one responded to her cries, Jailyn clawed at her own face.
At 16 months old, Jailyn could not fend for herself and her mother knew that. She had an older child, a 7-year-old daughter, and was aware of how to care for a child of Jailyn’s age—or so, her family and friends thought.
Jailyn’s mother wasn’t in danger and wasn’t being held against her will. Rather, she intentionally left for two trips, one to Detroit, Michigan, and another to Puerto Rico, to spend time with two different men while her own parents—Jailyn’s grandparents and primary caregivers—were away. While gone, she visited a Star Wars-themed amusement park, sunbathed on the beach and ate delicious food—all while her daughter was starving, traumatized and abandoned. Kristel packed her bags, closed the door behind her drove away, and knowingly left her daughter to an unthinkable fate.
When Kristel returned to the West Boulevard neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, on June 16, 2023, feeling sun-kissed and refreshed, she opened the door at 7:36 am to find her daughter unresponsive. Jailyn lost a third of her weight while her mother was gone. Kristel called the police, but not until she changed Jailyn’s clothes to make her obviously severe condition appear less so. The Cleveland Division of Police (CPD) and Cleveland Division of Fire responded to the scene, and they weren’t fooled by Kristel’s lies.
Credit: Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department
On June 17, 2023, Kristel was arrested and charged with aggravated murder and endangering children. In March 2024, she was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
Here’s more on the case.
Who is Jailyn Candelario?
Photo from FindAGrave.
Jailyn Amelia Candelario was born on January 26, 2022 to parents Kristel Candelario and Henry Garcia in Cleveland, Ohio.
Jailyn was a happy, sweet and curious 16-month-old toddler. She lived with her mother, Kristel, her older sister, Amaya, and her grandparents, Ketty and Clever Torres, in a three-bedroom home in Cleveland’s West Boulevard neighborhood.
Background on Kristel Candelario
Kristel Andrea Candelario was born on September 11, 1991 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to parents Clever and KettyTorres. She married and had a daughter with her first husband, though the relationship didn’t work out. In 2016, Kristel left her first husband and moved with her daughter, Amaya, to Cleveland, Ohio, to live with her grandmother in a three-bedroom home. A few years later, Kristel’s parents joined them in Cleveland.
Kristel had a bachelor’s degree in education. In 2019, she began working as an instructional aide at Hope Academy Northeast during the 2019-2020 school year, and later as a substitute teacher at Citizens Academy Glenville in the fall of 2020; a job she maintained up until her arrest.
In 2020, Kristel met Jailyn’s father, Henry Garcia, on Facebook. Although Henry lived in Ecuador, Kristel and Henry began a long distance relationship. Kristel eventually traveled to Ecuador to meet Henry in person. The relationship was going well enough that Kristel, Henry and Amaya soon thereafter went on vacation to the Dominican Republic.
When Kristel and Amaya returned to Cleveland, Kristel learned she was pregnant. Henry was unable to come to the U.S. due to problems with his Visa, so the couple maintained contact via phone, frequently sharing photos and updates. Kristel returned to Ecuador a few times thereafter, but what began as a good relationship became toxic and unstable. Kristel and Henry often broke up and reconnected. Despite their fragmented relationship, Henry was excited about the birth of Jailyn and even “attended” the birth via FaceTime.
Kristel relied heavily on her parents to take care of her two children. However, it was after Jailyn’s birth that Kristel began leaving her daughter alone and unattended when possible. It was something that happened so frequently, that neighbors—whom Kristel often left Jailyn with—confronted her about leaving her toddler alone and asked her to stop. When Kristel’s parents weren’t available, she seemingly left Jailyn with anyone who offered to take her, regardless of whether she knew them well or not—and that’s where this story begins.
At the trial, discussed below, Kristel’s mother said she was raised in a home with values, morals, emphasis on love and family, and focus on emotional skills.
What (and How) Could a Mother Abandon and Neglect her Daughter?
Photo from FindAGrave.
Kristel’s parents, who were vacationing with her 7-year-old daughter in Ecuador, were allegedly not aware that Kristel was on vacation—despite Kristel shamelessly posting Facebook photos throughout her trip. Her parents left on June 4, 2023.
Sun., June 4, 2023
Kristel’s parents leave for Ecuador with her eldest daughter. That same day, Kristel leaves for Detroit, Michigan, to meet with a love interest identified as “David.” She has a late breakfast at Denny’s in Taylor, Michigan, at 11:29 am. In the meantime, she leaves Jailyn alone, at home, for two days while she’s in Michigan.
Tues., June 6, 2023
Kristel returns home to Cleveland, Ohio and her daughter Jailyn, though she does not stay for long. That day, she is seen on surveillance putting luggage into her car and, once again, driving away from the home—this time to join a different man and friends in Puerto Rico on June 8. She leaves for Michigan again at 5:24 pm, where she stays for two days with “David” before leaving for Puerto Rico. Jailyn is left home alone in her Pack ‘n Play.
Thurs., June 8, 2023
Kristel leaves for Puerto Rico on Spirit Airlines. While in Puerto Rico, she later claims to have been angry and distracted, to the point where it was noticeable to others. Some of her friends asked about Jailyn, to which Kristel responded, “She’s fine.” At times, she thought about calling relatives and asking them to check on Jailyn, but never once did she make a single phone call for her daughter’s wellbeing. One phone call could have saved Jailyn’s life.
Fri., June 9, 2023
A neighbor’s ring camera catches Jailyn crying at 1 am.
Mon., June 12, 2023
Kristel returns to Cleveland, Ohio, but heads directly to Michigan from the airport to reunite with David. She spends June 12 to June 15 in Michigan, without picking up Jailyn or, at the very least, stopping to check on her.
Fri., June 16, 2023, 7:36 am
Kristel returns to Cleveland and discovers Jailyn is deceased. She calls 9-1-1 some 10 minutes later, but only after dressing Jailyn in clean clothes. On the call, she screams for help.
When police arrive, Kristel’s demeanor completely changes. She is calm and composed. She tells police that Jailyn was refusing to eat all week, but slept as she normally did—for about 12 hours; something that is not typical for a 16-month-old. She claimed Jailyn vomited on June 12 and June 13 (when Kristel was in Michigan) and that she gave her daughter Tylenol; again, something that would not help a vomiting toddler.
Detective Teresa Gomez of CPD described Jailyn’s condition as severely dehydrated. Her eyes were sunken and wide open. She had feces in her mouth, underneath her fingernails and on the soles of her feet. Her lips were dried and cracked. There was a green discoloration on her abdomen, indicating that she was deceased for two to three days at the time of discovery. She also had scratches on her face, which were presumed to be self-inflicted.
Dr. Elizabeth Mooney, the forensic examiner; later told the court that Jailyn’s body showed signs of consuming its own fat as a means of survival and her organs indicated high stress levels. Jailyn had suffered kidney failure and her body was in ketoacidosis, which likely led to coma and ultimately death.
Dr. Elizabeth Mooney also explained in court that children are born with the natural response to cry when they are hungry and therefore uncomfortable. She stated that babies between the ages of nine months to 18 months experience the highest levels of separation anxiety. Jailyn was most certainly in a state of sheer terror, brought about by caregiver abandonment and coupled with a lack of food and drink for a prolonged period of time. Her death was slow and painful.
After speaking with investigators, Kristel was apparently so distraught that she returned to Michigan to be with her boyfriend. When her boyfriend discovered what happened to Jailyn, he was allegedly unable to eat, but not Kristel; she had no problem eating as normal.
Kristel’s “Reasoning”
In several interviews held in the aftermath of her prison sentence, Kristel attributed her actions to her deteriorating mental health, which allegedly reached an all-time low in January 2023.
In January and February 2023, Kristel was hospitalized twice due to “emotional and mental problems.” She claimed to suffer from headaches, numbness, and facial drooping. During one of those instances, she claimed to have been suicidal and unable to walk for nearly two weeks.
A series of tests were run and Kristel was given an anti-seizure medication through an IV drip; however, results indicated nothing was wrong neurologically. She was prescribed antidepressants, though she didn’t fully understand what the medication was for. She allegedly took the medication as directed, but returned to the hospital in March, claiming to have run out. Her doctor stated that she should have had more than enough medication left. Tests were run again and doctors determined that anxiety and stress were to blame for the physical manifestations she experienced. The doctors prescribed her more antidepressants and a medication for trouble sleeping. When the medications ran out, Kristel simply stopped taking them.
Nonetheless, also in March 2023, Kristel felt well enough to plan a vacation with one of her then-boyfriends.
Credit: Facebook.
In regards to the vacation, Kristel allegedly told her ex-boyfriend that she would leave Jailyn with her mother. She denied purchasing travel tickets with plans to leave her daughter unattended, but rather, “because of her mental state.” She claimed to have taken only four items with her and impulsively leaving her home.
Nonetheless, even after her arrest, Kristel didn’t seem to comprehend that Jailyn should have been her first priority. She talked with other inmates about future plans for after her release. She even had a phone call with a friend on November 26, 2023, during which she spoke about how much fun she had in Puerto Rico, joked about them renting a truck vs. a car, which was more expensive, and gossiped about another woman on the trip who spent money freely. There was no mention of Jailyn.
On January 6, 2024, Kristel had another jailhouse phone call with her mother. The conversation focused on God and His forgiveness. During the conversation, Kristel attempted to explain her actions by stating it was unintentional. She also said, “It’s not like I picked up a gun or a bat or the girl bled or something”—referring to her daughter as “the girl.”
Not the First Instance of Neglect
The trip resulting in Jailyn’s death was not the first time Kristel neglected her daughter.
A prior babysitter, identified only as Carol, has stated that Kristel was especially careless about Jailyn’s care. If Carol called Kristel to ask when she planned to return home, Kristel repeatedly said, “Five minutes,” though hours would pass before she actually returned with little explanation.
In August 2022, Jailyn introduced herself to neighbors Iris and her daughter Suleym, 13, for the first time, while also asking if they could watch Jailyn for the weekend. A weekend request ultimately turned into six weeks. Iris called Kristel repeatedly to ask when she planned to return and to send money for milk; requests that Kristel largely ignored or made excuses for. Kristel was gone for so long that Jailyn began calling Iris, “Mama.” Suleym said she loved Jailyn like a sister. The mother and daughter watched Jailyn on several occasions afterwards.
Despite concerns throughout the neighborhood and Kristel’s continuous habit of leaving Jailyn with near-strangers for hours, days or weeks, Child Protective Services was never called.
The Investigation and Trial
The case was investigated by CPD’s Homicide Unit. Detectives looked through 648 hours of Ring camera footage as part of the investigation. Dr. Elizabeth Mooney performed the autopsy and presumed that Jailyn died seven to eight days into Kristel’s 10-day vacation. Jailyn died of extreme dehydration and starvation due to parental neglect. At her time of death, she weighed just 13 lbs., having weighed 20 lbs. at her most recent doctor visit.
Detective TJ Powell, the lead detective, said this was the most horrific case he’d seen during his 17 years with the CPD. Medical professionals and other law enforcement involved echoed this sentiment. Detective Powell even wrote a poem for Jailyn, which he shared at her trial:
“J is for the justice that will be received today.
“A is for the angel wings she earned on that dreadful day.
“I is for the incremental repetitious buildup of suspense for a death that clearly makes no sense.
“L is for the lack of love while alone for 11 days.
“Y is for a young life that was taken away.
“N is for the new eternal life Jailyn gained on that day.
“No child should ever have to die this way.“
The District Attorney (DA) reached out to extended family members of Jailyn on several occasions for information, but received no response. It appeared that Jailyn’s family was more interested in protecting Kristel than Jailyn, and would not provide statements or contribute to the case. Among the only family members that spoke out was Olga Torres, Kristel’s aunt, who stated that Kristel’s mother was Jailyn’s main caregiver and that she was unsure who would have cared for Jailyn in her absence. Her and Kristel weren’t on speaking terms, so Kristel wouldn’t have asked her for help, though it was available if Kristel needed it.
During the trial, Kristel’s attorney, Derek Smith, argued that Kristel wasn’t thinking clearly as a result of stopping her antidepressants without guidance from doctors. It was obvious there was a difficult road ahead of him with this trial, without much evidence to support his client’s behavior.
Kristel’s parents asked the judge to have mercy on their daughter. Fortunately, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brendan Sheehan did not have mercy on Kristel. In court, he gave the following closing remarks:
“The bond between a mother and a child is one of the most purest and most sacred bonds between human beings. It’s a relationship built on love, trust, and unwavering protection. Yet, in a shocking betrayal of this fundamental trust, you committed the ultimate act of betrayal: leaving your baby terrified, alone, unprotected, to suffer what I heard was the most gruesome death imaginable with no food, no water, no protection, and lying in her own feces.
“Ms. Candelario, you know the responsibility of parenthood. You already have another child. You raised another child. I’ve witnessed here, before me, your parents, who showed you love and respect and education. They came here to help you advocate for you—more than you’ve done for your own child. The evidence that I’ve witnessed here before this court shows at this time you simply chose not to be here because you wanted to have fun. You decided you needed a vacation. What followed was an absolute act of depravity.
“You left your baby, Jailyn, trapped in a Pack ‘n Play without food and water for 10 days. This wasn’t simply an oversight. You could have saved Jailyn’s life many times. You could have found someone to watch her while you were gone. You could have taken her with you while you were in Detroit or to Puerto Rico. You could have called someone in Cleveland and told them that Jailyn needed help.
“Despite all the suffering, that little baby persevered, waiting for someone to save her, and you could have done that with a simple phone call. Instead, I see photos of you on the beach while your child was eating her own feces in an attempt to survive. Photos mean something and I’m well aware of mental health, but it doesn’t look like you were too concerned about your child.”
“Just as you didn’t let Jailyn out of her confinement until she died, so should you spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom. The only difference is that prison will at least feed you and give you liquids that you denied her.”
Jailyn’s manner of death was ruled as homicide, due to parental neglect and failure to properly support and care for another person that was dependent on them. In March 2024, Kristel was pleaded guilty and was sentenced to aggravated murder in connection with the death of her daughter, Jailyn, and endangering children. She is currently serving her sentence at the Ohio Reformatory for Women. She intends to appeal her sentence.
In response to her actions, Kristel stated:
“There’s so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn…I’m extremely hurt about everything that happened. I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through … God and my daughter have forgiven me.”
My 2 Cents
I chose to research this case to call attention to Jailyn Candelario’s life, but the more I read, the more angry I became. I’m not a mental health expect or someone with experience in the justice system. I am, however, a professional in the field of communications and most importantly, a mother. Becoming a mother requires the maternity and sense to know that you cannot live on your own timeline anymore. Life will not always be that way, but when you have young children, it is.
Kristel Candelario uses mental illness as a way to describe her actions, which I believe is an abuse of the term. I think her actions were taken purely out of selflessness. Someone with raging anxiety and/or depression that compromises their ability to function and causes physical symptoms does not experience a sudden lapse in symptoms when leaving for vacation. Her mental illness flair seems to conveniently work for the story she concocted.
This instance also wasn’t the first time she left Jailyn alone but it was the most severe because it resulted in death. However, Kristel left Jailyn alone with near-strangers on many occasions and didn’t return for days, weeks and, in one instance, 1.5 months. She met a neighbor for the first time and simultaneously shoved her daughter into their arms, asked them to watch her, and took off. Jailyn could have been placed into the hands of abusers at any moment. If something so severe didn’t happen, Kristel would have continued leaving Jailyn alone. It was only a matter of time before something terrible happened.
After Kristel was arrested, she still acted like she wouldn’t receive a harsh sentence. She made future plans and she reminisced with friends on the phone about her vacation—during which her daughter died. There is an obvious disconnect between Kristel’s beliefs about Jailyn’s death. She seems unable to take accountability and to also feel she’s entitled to forgiveness. In fact, she’s so entitled that she provides a statement declaring that God and Jailyn have forgiven her; a statement that’s completely outlandish.
What I see here is immaturity, selfishness, entitlement and perhaps some narcissism. Kristel felt entitled to take a vacation and have a break. She felt her actions weren’t terrible because they weren’t “intentional,” even though her daughter died as a direct result of her own choices. I think she wanted to live on her own timeline and didn’t want the responsibility of caring for a child, so she did what she could to evade that responsibility. As a result, I think she received the sentence she deserved and she’s in the right place considering her actions. She failed her daughter terribly and must pay for it.
Rest in peace, Jailyn. You deserved so much better.
Sources
- NBC News — Mother sentenced to life for her toddler’s death blames mental health for leaving child alone to go on vacation
- NBC News — Ohio mother who left toddler alone when she went on vacation is sentenced in child’s murder
- People — Mother Who Left Toddler Home Alone for 10 Days to Go on Vacation Sentenced to Life Over Her Murder
- Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office — Kristel Candelario 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
- WKYC Studios — Cleveland police: 16-month-old girl dies after mother left her alone for more than a week to go on vacation
- Stephanie Harlowe — Coffee and Crime Time: Jailyn Candelario
- Jackie Flores — This Mom Left Her Baby Home Alone For 10 Days To Go On Vacation | The Case of Jailyn Candelario
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