2025-08-04T20:17:29Z

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In a heartbreaking tale that will leave you questioning humanity, a mother has revealed the devastating reasons behind her abandonment of her 16-month-old daughter while she jetted off on holiday.

Kristel Candelario, hailing from Cleveland, Ohio, left her little girl, Jailyn, alone at home for a staggering ten days as she traveled to not just one, but two destinations—Detroit, Michigan, and Puerto Rico. The shocking revelation of her actions has sent ripples of outrage and sorrow through the community.

Upon her return on June 16, 2023, Candelario encountered a nightmarish scene: her daughter was unresponsive, severely dehydrated, and found in a filthy playpen smeared with faeces and urine. Tragically, Jailyn was pronounced dead soon after, leading investigators to describe the situation as one of the most distressing they had ever faced in their careers.

In February 2024, Candelario pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and child endangerment, receiving a life sentence without the possibility of parole. But what could drive a mother to abandon her child in such a horrific manner? Candelario has since opened up about her mental health struggles, admitting to having been hospitalized just months before her daughter’s death.

Speaking from her prison cell, she recounted her battle with suicidal thoughts and how a desperate need to escape her life of stress and anxiety led her to make impulsive decisions. She stated, “I ran out of the house like when someone is being chased,” highlighting the urgency of her mental state.

While on vacation, Candelario’s companions noticed her disconnection, with her boyfriend even asking about Jailyn. She assured him that her daughter was fine—a painful reminder of the denial she was living in. Despite contemplating asking a neighbor to check on her daughter, she ultimately chose not to, a decision she now recognizes as a grave mistake.

In the background, her parents were away, unaware that Jailyn was left alone. They believed Candelario was home caring for her child, completely oblivious to the tragedy that was unfolding.

The moment Candelario returned to find her daughter unresponsive shattered her world. “Not because maybe I was thinking about going to prison. That’s the least important thing,” she remarked, emphasizing her despair and regret. “My daughter was doing well; I always took care of her.”

During the court hearings, heart-wrenching evidence emerged, including doorbell recordings capturing Jailyn’s cries for help. Forensic pathologist Dr. Elizabeth Mooney described the unimaginable suffering the toddler endured, a sentiment that left many in the courtroom in tears.

Judge Brendan Sheehan, addressing Candelario during her sentencing, delivered a powerful message about the sanctity of the mother-child bond, calling her actions the “ultimate act of betrayal.” He criticized her neglect and the cruel irony of her vacation while her child desperately awaited help. “You could have saved her with a simple phone call,” he stated, emphasizing the stark reality of the situation. The judge’s words served as a haunting reminder of the consequences of her choices, comparing her child's confinement to the prison sentence she now faces, saying, “Just as you didn’t let Jailyn out of her confinement until she died, so too you should spend the rest of your life in a cell without freedom.”