In a heartbreaking incident out of Ohio, a mother is facing charges following the death of her 16-month-old daughter. The baby girl tragically passed away after being left home alone for almost 10 days. Authorities revealed that the mother had been on vacation during this time.
Cleveland resident Kristel Candelario, aged 31, was arrested on June 18 and now faces murder charges, as per online court records.
On June 16, the mother found her baby girl, named Jailyn, unresponsive in their house.
According to the affidavit, Candelario confessed to leaving her young daughter unattended at home while she took a trip to Michigan and Puerto Rico. Upon her return, she found Jailyn to be in a state of severe dehydration.
Authorities further shared that the child’s playpen was filled with dirty blankets and a liner soaked with urine and feces.
Emergency responders, who pronounced Jailyn dead at the scene, didn’t observe any signs of physical trauma, as mentioned in a press release from the Cleveland Police Department.
Following an investigation by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, it was revealed that the child was left unattended for approximately 10 days, leading to her death.
Neighbors expressed regret that Candelario hadn’t asked for their help instead of leaving her daughter alone.
Currently, Candelario is being held at the Cuyahoga County Jail. A bond was set at $1 million, according to online court records. As of now, it remains uncertain whether Candelario has entered a plea.