Being a caregiver can be stressful at times, both financially and emotionally. With the support of family, friends, and neighbors, however, most parents can cobble together a "village" to help them. Tragically, even with the proper social pillars, cases of child abuse and neglect happen far more often than people like to think.
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Recently, an Ohio mom was sentenced for the murder of her toddler daughter in a particularly horrific case. The mother's actions are an example of an extreme incident of neglect resulting in the prolonged pain and suffering of an innocent child. The woman left her baby girl alone for more than a week while she went on a solo vacation.
Kristel Candelario was sentenced for the murder of her daughter.
On Monday, March 18, Kristel Candelario, 32, was sentenced to life in prison without parole, according to a news release from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office. The Ohio woman pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of endangering children in February. Tragically, Candelario's 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn, died in 2023 because of her actions.
She left her daughter alone for 10 days to suffer without food or water.
From June 6 to June 16, 2023, Candelario left her 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn, alone in her home. The mother then traveled to Detroit, Michigan, and Puerto Rico, leaving Jailyn alone in a playpen without food or water. When Candelario returned home, she found her daughter dead and called the police.
Jailyn died of starvation and severe dehydration.
Jailyn's cause of death was starvation and severe dehydration due to pediatric neglect, Dr. Elizabeth Mooney, the deputy Cuyahoga County medical examiner, explained in court on March 18, reported NBC News. The toddler weighed only 13 pounds — 7 pounds lighter than documented at her most recent doctor's visit two months before her death. Mooney, who conducted Jailyn's autopsy and ruled her death a homicide, called it "one of the most tragic and unfortunate cases I’ve had in my career thus far."
The judge called it the 'ultimate act of betrayal.'
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Brendan Sheehan didn't mince words during Candelario's sentencing. "You committed the ultimate act of betrayal," he said in court. "Leaving your baby terrified, alone unprotected to suffer what I heard was the most gruesome death imaginable. You left your baby, Jailyn, trapped in a Pack 'n Play without food and water for 10 days … This wasn't simply an oversight"
The mom expressed her regret and begged for forgiveness.
Through a translator, Candelario addressed the court. "Every day I ask forgiveness from God and from my daughter Jailyn," she said. The mother asked for forgiveness from her parents and her other daughter, too, NBC reported.
Candelario reportedly suffered from depression.
Reportedly, Candelario attempted self-harm last year and started taking antidepressants. The mother stopped taking her medication without tapering first, causing side effects. Derek Smith, Candelario’s attorney, said she was "not thinking clearly," reported NBC News.
Through an interpreter, Candelario told the court: “I am not trying to justify my actions, but nobody knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through."
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child), or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
