CLEVELAND — Kristel Candelario, a 32-year-old Cleveland mom charged in her daughter’s death after authorities said she left the 16-month-old girl home alone for 10 days to go on vacation, has been sentenced to serve the rest of her life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan J. Sheehan handed down his decision after an emotional hearing Monday morning.
"As a court, I have to remember Jailyn, where you did not," Judge Sheehan said. "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. The only difference will be that prison will at least feed you and give you liquids that you denied her."
Judge Sheehan told Candelario she 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," he said. "Miss Candelario, you know the responsibility of parenthood. You have a child already. You raised another child. I’ve witnessed here before me, your parents who’ve showed you love and respect and education. They came here to help you, to advocate for you. More than what you’ve done for your own child. The evidence that I’ve witnessed here before this court shows that this time you simply chose not to be here because you wanted to have fun. You decided you needed a vacation. What followed was absolute depravity. You left your baby, Jailyn, trapped in a pack-and-play without food and water for 10 days. This wasn’t simply an oversight. You could’ve saved Jailyn’s life many times. You could’ve found someone to watch her while you were gone. You could’ve taken her with you. While you were in Detroit or Puerto Rico, you could’ve called someone in Cleveland and told them that Jailyn needed help."
We streamed the full sentencing hearing, which you can watch in the video below.
NOTE: Video contains graphic content. Viewer discretion is advised.
CANDELARIO OFFERS STATEMENT
"God and my daughter have forgiven me"
Prior to the judge's decision, Candelario offered a brief statement through an interpreter.
"There’s so much pain that I have in regards to the loss of my baby, Jailyn," she said. "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. Every day I ask forgiveness from God and from my daughter, Jailyn. I’m a person who believes in God, and I recognize today that all of us are sometimes subject to the enemy. God and my daughter have forgiven me."
She also addressed her older daughter while noting how much they all loved each other.
"I know that nothing can bring Jailyn back, and not a day goes by when I do not think of her. I pray to God that one day I will see her again."
You can watch her full statement in the video below:
CASE HISTORY
Her sentencing comes after court records show Candelario pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of child endangering on Feb. 22.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office says the case dates back to June 6, 2023, when Candelario left her daughter “alone and unattended at her residence near Lorain Avenue and West 97th Street in Cleveland.”
She did not return to her child until June 16. That’s when authorities say she found Jailyn unresponsive and called police.
The girl was pronounced dead after authorities arrived at the scene.
“This case is one of those truly unimaginable cases that will stick with me for many years to come,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “As prosecutors, it is our job to represent the victims and today we spoke on behalf of 16-month-old Jailyn who is no longer with us -- due to the selfish decisions her mother made.”
POLICE SPEAK OUT
“Jailyn, you will never be forgotten.”
That was the message from Cleveland Police Sgt. Teresa Gomez as she spoke in honor of Jailyn before the judge handed down his decision.
She called the situation "beyond horrific."
“This baby loved her mother," Sgt. Gomez noted. "She needed her mother. Her mother betrayed her. Mothers usually want their children to have a long, happy life. But Candelario placed more importance on a vacation in Puerto Rico with her boyfriend than the health, safety and well-being of her own daughter. She chose to satisfy her own needs and desires over that of her own child. Jailyn’s life ended because of her selfishness and disregard for Jailyn’s precious life. Candelario violated Jailyn yet again when she placed her little body in a clean outfit in order to orchestrate this façade that she was trying to portray for the investigators either before or after she called 911.”
Detective T.J. Powell with the Cleveland Police Homicide Unit also offered a brief statement in regard to baby Jailyn.
“I can honestly say, Your Honor, in my 17 years as a Cleveland police officer, this by far is the most horrific case I’ve ever had to investigate.”
CANDELARIO'S PARENTS ASK COURT FOR MERCY
Statement from her mother, Ketty Torres, through an interpreter:
With my heart ripped apart in a thousand pieces, speaking from love and maintained by God, I am here to tell the world that my daughter came from a home where there was relations of humanism, values, beliefs, emotions, warmth, where the most important thing was the family. Kristel grew up and was educated in a healthy environment together with her parents, protected and loved. She studied and was educated in our native country of Ecuador. She chose the same profession as her father and her grandfather: Teaching. Her years as an adult were marked by both physical and emotional problems that didn’t always end up in the best way. Her emotional health was affected on more than one occasion, but between her work, her other responsibilities and her day-to-day life in the middle of all that, she never ended up appreciating the importance of continued treatment.
Because of all that, her depression, anxiety, conversion neurosis disorder all ended up consuming her, and as a result of this she suffered fainting spells and also loss of consciousness. In saying this, I don’t want to justify or victimize anyone, I only want to give a glimpse of the interior person, the ego, of someone who is seated here and is being judged. Ladies and gentlemen, the mental health illness is not reflected in someone’s face and also not in a picture. It arises and remains in the soul. Only a timely and effective treatment by therapists and doctors can help to improve those conditions. My daughter did not have a good quality of life because she couldn’t stop working. No one ever imagined that this suffering would culminate in a tragedy.
I want to say here before Jailyn, our angel, that your memory lives within us. We will always love you. I held you in my arms. Your grandparents will never forget you. Forgive me for being in the dark and the darkness that prevented me from seeing the light to see what was going on with your mother.
My beloved daughter, I love you so much. I lament and I’m sorry for not having detected what you were going through. I could not see what was in your heart. I didn’t notice the chaos that you were going through. I lament, my darling daughter, that I caused you this pain.
Your Honor, I ask for mercy. I ask for mercy for clemency and compassion for a human being that has waged a very difficult battle in her life and I beg that you not demonize her and point the finger at her. Who in this life has not sinned against God? Anyone who hasn’t, let them raise their hand. But since we believe in a God of love and of goodness and a God of forgiveness, he is here with us. My daughter, I love you. We’re here always for you. I’m going to wait the rest of my life for you.
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Her father, Klever Candelario, also addressed the judge through an interpreter to ask "for compassion understanding, empathy and mercy for someone who is going through a stage of stress and mental and emotional illness and worries."
"Mental and emotional illness does not give warning," he said. "Each person is a world unto herself, and the inner world of my daughter was shaken without our having realized it. Depression and anxiety consumed her to the point of depriving her of good judgment and reason. Here’s my daughter, Kristel, who also has a motive to go forward with your help."
He said that motive is her other 7-year-old daughter who "hopes to see her mother and hug her soon."
"I beg for your help, forgiveness and understanding," he continued. "My beloved daughter, always remember that we will never forget Jailyn, my beloved granddaughter who I held in my arms. We miss you very much, very deeply. I carry her image always within my memory. Jailyn is the light of our life."
He said he will continue to love his daughter "until the end of my days."
"We will be here waiting for you. May God give you strength and courage every day of you life."
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