Kristel Candelario Wikipedia, Age, Daughter, Husband: Arrest Record of Killer Ohio Mom

Kristel Candelario seemed to have it all: a job as a family resource specialist at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, a husband, and two daughters. But behind the facade of a happy family, there was a dark and disturbing reality. She was a neglectful and abusive mother who left her 16-month-old daughter, Jailyn, alone and unattended for 10 days while she went on a vacation to Detroit and Puerto Rico.
Jailyn died of dehydration and starvation in a filthy playpen, surrounded by urine and feces. Candelario was arrested and charged with murder, and pleaded guilty to aggravated murder and endangering children. She faces life in prison for her heinous crime.
How Did It Happen?
According to court records and media reports, Kristel Candelario left Jailyn at her home on West 97th Street in Cleveland on June 6, 2023. She told her husband, who was working out of town, that she was going to visit her sister in Detroit for a few days. But instead of returning to her child, she flew to Puerto Rico for a vacation with another man. She did not check on Jailyn or arrange for anyone to care for her. She did not answer her phone or respond to messages from her husband or her neighbors, who were worried about the baby.
On June 16, Candelario came back to her home and found Jailyn unresponsive in a Pack-N-Play pen. She called 911 and claimed that she had just come home from work and found her daughter dead. But the police and the paramedics quickly realized that something was wrong.
Jailyn was extremely dehydrated and malnourished. She had no signs of trauma, but her body was covered in rashes and sores. She was lying on a liner soaked with urine and feces, and so were the blankets in the pen. The house was in a state of disarray, with trash, dirty dishes, and clothes everywhere.
Kristel Candelario confessed to the police that she had left Jailyn alone for 10 days while she went on a vacation. She said she did not think that Jailyn would die, and that she loved her daughter. She was arrested and charged with murder, felonious assault, and endangering children.
She pleaded not guilty at first, but later changed her plea to guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of endangering children. She was acquitted of two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2024.
Kristel Candelario Wiki/Bio

Name | Kristel A. Candelario |
---|---|
Birth date | September 11, 1991 |
Birth place | Puerto Rico |
Ethnicity | Puerto Rican |
Nationality | American |
Religion | Unknown |
Occupation | Former family resource specialist at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and former building substitute at Citizens Academy Glenville |
Education | John Marshall High School and Utel Universidad |
Children | Jailyn Candelario (deceased daughter) and another daughter (name unknown) |
Criminal charges | Aggravated murder and endangering children |
Criminal status | Pleaded guilty and awaiting sentencing |
Motive | Neglect and abandonment |
Victim | Jailyn Candelario (16-month-old daughter) |
Date of crime | June 6-16, 2023 |
Location of crime | West 97th Street, Cleveland, Ohio |
Cause of death | Dehydration and malnutrition due to neglect |
Sentence | Life in prison without parole (expected) |
Biography

Kristel Candelario was born on September 11, 1991 (Age: 32 years, as of 2023), in Puerto Rico. She moved to Cleveland, Ohio, when she was a teenager. She graduated from John Marshall High School in 2009, and attended Utel Universidad, an online university based in Mexico.
She worked as a building substitute at Citizens Academy Glenville, an elementary school in Cleveland, until she was fired after her arrest. She also worked as a family resource specialist at the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, where she helped families with children who had special needs.
She was married to Jose Candelario (unconfirmed), a truck driver who often traveled for work. They had two daughters: Jailyn, who was born in February 2022, and another daughter, who was 7 years old at the time of Jailyn’s death. The older daughter was not living with Candelario, but with her paternal grandmother, who had custody of her. She had a history of domestic violence and child abuse.
She had been arrested several times for assaulting her husband and her older daughter. She had also been investigated by the Department of Children and Family Services for neglecting Jailyn, but the case was closed due to insufficient evidence.
Kristel Candelario had a secret relationship with another man, whom she met online. She used him to fund her vacation to Puerto Rico, where she stayed at a luxury hotel and posted pictures of herself on social media. She did not tell him that she had a husband or children. She also lied to her husband about her whereabouts and told him that she was visiting her sister in Detroit.
Daughter, Married Life, Kids
Jailyn Candelario was a 16-month-old girl who loved to smile and play. She had curly brown hair and big brown eyes. She was a healthy and happy baby, until her mother abandoned her to die. Jailyn suffered a slow and painful death, as she starved and dehydrated in a dirty playpen.
She had no food, water, or human contact for 10 days. She cried and screamed for help, but no one came. She developed rashes and sores on her skin, and infections in her mouth and eyes. She lost weight and muscle mass, and her organs failed. She died alone and scared, in a pool of her own waste.
Jailyn’s death was ruled a homicide by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of death was dehydration and malnutrition due to neglect. The manner of death was homicide. Jailyn’s body was sent to the coroner’s office for an autopsy and further examination.
The coroner found that Jailyn had been left alone and unattended for approximately 10 days, and that she had no signs of trauma or disease. The coroner also found that Jailyn had a blood alcohol level of 0.04%, which indicated that she had ingested alcohol, possibly from a bottle of beer that was found near her playpen.
Jailyn’s funeral was held on June 23, 2023, at the Calhoun Funeral Home in Cleveland. She was buried at the Riverside Cemetery in Cleveland. Her father, Jose Candelario, and her paternal grandmother, Maria Candelario, attended the funeral, along with other relatives and friends. They mourned the loss of Jailyn, and expressed their anger and disbelief at Kristel Candelario’s actions. They said that Jailyn was a beautiful and innocent child, who deserved a better life and a better mother.

What Is the Public Reaction?
The case of Kristel Candelario and Jailyn Candelario has shocked and outraged the public, both locally and nationally. Many people have expressed their sadness, anger, and disgust at her behavior, and have called for justice for Jailyn.
Some people have also questioned how Kristel Candelario was able to get away with her crime for so long, and why no one intervened to save Jailyn. They have blamed the authorities, the neighbors, and the school district for failing to protect Jailyn from her abusive mother.
The case has also sparked a discussion about the issue of child abuse and neglect, and the need for more awareness and prevention. Some people have urged others to report any signs of abuse or neglect to the authorities, and to offer help and support to families in need. Some people have also advocated for more resources and funding for child welfare agencies, and for more training and education for professionals who work with children and families.
The case has also inspired some people to honor Jailyn’s memory and legacy, and to help other children who are suffering from abuse or neglect. Some people have donated money to the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services, or to other organizations that support children and families. Some people have also volunteered to become foster parents, or to mentor or tutor children in need. Some people have also organized events or campaigns to raise awareness and funds for the cause of child welfare.
What Is the Legal Outcome?
Kristel Candelario pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and one count of endangering children on February 22, 2024, at the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. She entered her plea as part of a deal with the prosecution, who agreed to drop two counts of murder and one count of felonious assault. She also waived her right to a trial by jury, and agreed to accept the sentence imposed by the judge.
Candelario is scheduled to be sentenced on March 18, 2024, by Judge John P. O’Donnell. She faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the aggravated murder charge, and a maximum sentence of eight years in prison for the endangering children charge. She will also have to pay restitution to the victim’s family, and to the state for the cost of the investigation and prosecution.
Candelario’s attorney, Robert Dixon, said that his client accepted the plea deal because she wanted to take responsibility for her actions, and to spare her family and the public from a lengthy and painful trial. He said that she was remorseful and regretful for what she did, and that she suffered from mental health issues and substance abuse problems. He said that she hoped to receive treatment and counseling in prison, and to find some peace and forgiveness.
The prosecution, led by Assistant County Prosecutor Anna Faraglia, said that they were satisfied with the plea deal, and that they believed it was a fair and just outcome. They said that Kristel Candelario deserved to spend the rest of her life in prison for her horrific crime, and that they hoped that the sentence would bring some closure and justice to Jailyn’s family and the community. They said that Candelario showed no