CNN
—
Jaylin's screams echoed through the quiet streets of Cleveland in the middle of the night. The toddler cried and howled, but no one came to help.
Her mother, Christel Candelario, was away for 10 days of the summer. Prosecutors said Jaylin was left alone in a playpen with several bottles of milk during the holidays. A neighbor's doorbell camera captured the 16-month-old's frequent cries, including one around 1 a.m. two days after her mother left home.
But authorities say Candelario was with a male friend hundreds of miles away in Puerto Rico. After spending several days at the beach and stopping in Detroit, she returned home on June 16 last year to find her daughter dead. It's been about 10 days since she disappeared.
Candelario pleaded guilty last month to one count of aggravated murder and one count of child endangerment.
At Monday's sentencing, forensic pathologist Elizabeth Mooney told a Cleveland court that children experience the most extreme separation anxiety between the ages of nine and 18 months. She described Jaylin's excruciating final days.
“The pain and suffering she endured lasted not just hours or days, but in some cases a week,” Mooney said, fighting back tears.
“I think this feeling of abandonment, lasting days on end, combined with the pain of hunger and extreme thirst, is a type of suffering that none of us will ever fully understand.”
The infant was found dehydrated and weakened.
A judge on Monday sentenced Candelario to life in prison, the final chapter in a brutal case that the investigators involved described as the most horrific they had witnessed in their careers.
Law enforcement officials, including Cleveland Police Sergeant Teresa Gomez, fought back tears as they described the baby's condition.
“This is a case that will forever be etched in our minds and hearts,” Gomez said at the sentencing.
Assistant Cuyahoga County Attorney Anna Faraglia played security video showing the mother carrying her suitcase to her car on June 6 and returning home on June 16. Minutes after her mother returned, Candelario called 911.
In a 911 call during the sentencing, she yelled, “Please help me.” “Please, please, help me. Her daughter is dead.”
Prosecutors said Candelario dressed Jaylin in clean clothes before paramedics arrived. However, the change in her clothes did not hide the horrors experienced by the girl, and Candelario's sob story began to be revealed.
Faraglia said Jaylin was found lying on a mattress covered in urine and feces. “Animals take good care of their babies,” she said.
The girl was thin, her eyes were sunken, her lips were dry, and her mouth and fingernails were covered in feces. Mooney said she weighed 7 pounds less than at her last doctor's visit two months ago..
Candelario's parents begged the judge for mercy.
Her mother, Ketty Torres, said in a prepared statement that her daughter had battled mental illness and health issues, including blackouts. She added that when her daughter stopped taking her medication, her depression and anxiety worsened, contributing to her inability to make sound decisions.
Torres said the family had no idea what was happening.
Candelario said in court that he prays every day for forgiveness, adding that he believes God and Jaylin have forgiven him.
“I'm not trying to justify my actions, but no one knew how much I was suffering and what I was going through,” she said.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Brendan Sheehan admonished her as he handed down the sentence.
He said harshly that he kept the child “locked up in a little prison” for days while Candelario was having fun outside.
“The bond between mother and child is one of the purest and most sacred bonds. It is a relationship built on love, trust and unwavering protection. …You have committed the ultimate act of betrayal,” Sheehan said. said.
“That little baby kept waiting for someone to help. A simple phone call could have done it. Instead, your child was left eating his own feces to survive. , looking at your photos on the beach.”
The judge sentenced her to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
“Just like you didn't let Jaylin out of prison until she died, you should spend the rest of your life in solitary confinement with no freedom,” Sheehan said. “The only difference is that in prison at least you get food.”
At sentencing, lead detective TJ Powell said Jaylin would never be forgotten. His voice trembled as he read a poem in her memory.
J for the justice he receives today.
A is the angel wings that I got on that terrible day.
I'm all for the gradual, repetitive build-up of suspense over apparently pointless deaths.
L because he lacked love while being alone for 11 days.
Y is a young life taken away.
N is for the new eternal life Jaylin gained that day. No child should die like this.
