A mother in the USA left her 16-month-old daughter at home alone for 10 days: the woman was sentenced to life imprisonment

Christel Candelario in court

Cory Shaffer/Cleveland.com

In the USA, a woman who left her 16-month-old daughter at home alone for 10 days was sentenced to life imprisonment. Without food and water, the child died.

The criminal will not have the right to parole, informs The Washington Post.

In June 2023, 32-year-old Christel Candelario of Cleveland, Ohio traveled to Detroit, Michigan and Puerto Rico. All this time, her 16-month-old daughter Jaylin was at home alone in her playpen.

When Candelario returned from the trip, she found the child unresponsive and called the police. She changed her daughter’s clothes before the ambulance arrived. Upon arrival, experts declared death.

Doctors found that the child died of hunger and dehydration. She weighed about 6 kilograms – about 3 kilograms less than two months ago during her last medical examination.

“You have committed the greatest act of betrayal by leaving your child scared, alone and defenseless to suffer, as far as I know, the most horrible death imaginable – no food, no water, no protection.” Judge Brendan Sheen told Christel Candelario.

In February 2024, she pleaded guilty. On March 18, the woman was sentenced to life imprisonment.

The judge compared the sentence to the isolation her daughter experienced before her death.

“The only difference will be that in prison you will at least be fed and given the drinks you denied her.” – he emphasized.

Candelario also has an older daughter. However, it is not known where she was during her mother’s trip.

During the sentencing, the woman’s lawyer said she suffered from depression and mental health problems for which she was being treated. However, experts found her healthy and able to stand trial.

Christel Candelario herself said in court that Jaylin’s death caused her “a lot of pain.” She hopes that her parents and daughter will forgive her.

“I’m not trying to justify my actions, but no one knew how much I suffered and what I had to go through.” – added the woman.

We will remind you that in the USA we have put A 1-month-old baby in the oven instead of a crib – she was arrested.