In the quiet streets of Cleveland, the cries of a toddler named Jailyn pierced the night, echoing unheard as she whimpered and howled in distress. Tragically, her calls for help went unanswered, for she was alone, abandoned by her mother, Kristel Candelario, who had embarked on a 10-day summer vacation, leaving Jailyn confined to a playpen with only a few bottles of milk for sustenance.
Prosecutors revealed the harrowing details of Jailyn’s final days, recounting how a neighbor’s doorbell camera captured her frequent screams, including one chilling instance around 1 a.m. two days into her mother’s absence. While Jailyn suffered, Candelario was enjoying her vacation in Puerto Rico with a male companion, miles away from her daughter’s cries. It wasn’t until she returned home on June 16th of the previous year that she discovered the devastating consequences of her actions – her beloved daughter, Jailyn, was dead. The toddler had been left unattended for approximately 10 days.
Facing the weight of her heinous actions, Candelario pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of child endangerment. At her sentencing, forensic pathologist Elizabeth Mooney painted a heart-wrenching picture of Jailyn’s final moments, describing the excruciating pain and suffering the child endured during her prolonged abandonment. Mooney fought back tears as she spoke, conveying the unimaginable anguish of a child left alone to fend for herself, grappling with starvation, thirst, and extreme separation anxiety.
The sentencing marked the culmination of a case that law enforcement officials described as one of the most horrific they’ve encountered in their careers. Investigators, including Cleveland Police Sgt. Teresa Gomez, were visibly shaken as they recounted Jailyn’s condition upon discovery. The toddler was found dehydrated, emaciated, and lying on a mattress soiled with urine and feces. Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Anna Faraglia played security footage showing Candelario departing for her vacation and returning home, mere minutes before she called 911 upon discovering Jailyn’s lifeless body.
Faraglia painted a damning picture of Candelario’s neglect, highlighting the deplorable conditions in which Jailyn was found. Despite Candelario’s attempt to dress Jailyn in clean clothes before the arrival of emergency responders, the extent of the child’s suffering was evident. Jailyn’s emaciated form, sunken eyes, dry lips, and fecal matter in her mouth and fingernails painted a grim picture of her final days.
In a plea for leniency, Candelario’s parents cited their daughter’s struggles with mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, as contributing factors to her actions. They pleaded with the judge to consider her mental state and the family’s lack of awareness regarding Jailyn’s plight. Candelario herself expressed remorse and begged for forgiveness, professing her belief that both God and Jailyn had forgiven her.
However, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan remained unmoved, delivering a scathing rebuke of Candelario’s actions. He condemned her betrayal of the sacred bond between mother and child, denouncing her decision to prioritize her own pleasure over Jailyn’s well-being. With a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, Judge Sheehan ensured that Candelario would face the consequences of her actions for the rest of her days.
In his final remarks, Judge Sheehan emphasized the severity of Candelario’s betrayal, likening her imprisonment of Jailyn to a tiny prison from which the child had no escape. He underscored the contrast between Candelario’s carefree vacation and Jailyn’s desperate struggle for survival, ensuring that Candelario would spend the rest of her life in a cell without freedom – a fitting punishment for her ultimate act of betrayal.
