CLEVELAND (WJW) – A Cleveland mother now faces murder charges after investigators say she left her 16-month-old daughter alone for over a week while she went on vacation, leading to the child’s death.
*The video above is from a previous report.*
A Cuyahoga County grand jury returned an indictment charging 31-year-old Kristel Candelario with aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, and endangering children.
According to a court complaint, Candelario admitted she left her daughter alone and unattended while vacationing in Detroit and Puerto Rico.
As the WJW I-Team previously reported, the complaint says she left on June 8 and returned on June 16, when she found her daughter unresponsive.
The child died in a West 97th Street home.
Investigators say the child was extremely dehydrated at the time of her death.
“As parents, we are supposed to protect and care for our children,” said Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “Imagining this child’s suffering, during her last days of life alone, is truly horrifying and we will do everything in our power to seek justice on her behalf.”
Candelario will be arraigned in court at a later date.
