Social Media Viral News: Mother Sentenced to Life in Prison

On March 18, Kristal Candelario, a 32-year-old Ecuadorian mother, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for being responsible for the horrific death of her baby Jaylin, who was only 16 months old. Many of you have probably seen the tragic news story as it quickly went viral on social media due to the horrific nature of the crime. 

Kristal Candelario was a single mother who lived in the state of Ohio with her parents, and her two daughters, one who was 7 years old, and Jaylin who was only 16 months old. She worked as a substitute in a school thanks to the master’s studies she had obtained in her country Ecuador. In June 2023, Kristal’s parents went on vacation with their 7-year-old granddaughter. A few days later Kristal decided to go on vacation with her friends to Puerto Rico, leaving her baby alone, in a cradle, without food, and without anyone who could take care of her. 10 days later Kristal returned home to find her daughter dead. The woman tried to cover up her crime, bathing her, changing her clothes, and calling 911 saying that she woke up and that the baby was no longer alive. In court, the justice informed her that they knew the truth by checking the recordings of the cameras from the neighbors’ houses outside in which it was clearly seen how she left and did not return until 10 days later. It was also heard in the records how the baby cried and screamed in agony, hunger, and despair for days.

“Unfortunately, this is one of the most tragic and sad cases I have had in my career. At the time of the autopsy, she weighed 13 pounds, upon reviewing her medical records she had lost a total of 7 pounds. We found the presence of abundant fecal matter forming layers on the fingers, nails, hands, and feet, and also on the soles of the feet. The same fecal material was found on his lips, which were dry and scaly, and in his oral cavity between his teeth. Also, there was lost abdominal fat to the point of transparency as his body tried to look to itself for nutrients. This confirmed my feared suspicions that she died in a state of severe dehydration. Her kidneys collapsed and she reached a state of ketoacidosis that led to coma and finally death” were the words of the forensic expert in charge of the case. 

Calendario never showed remorse, and many people on social media believe that the few minutes she cried in court were out of pain because her freedom was being taken away. “God and my daughter have forgiven me. I’m not trying to justify my actions, but no one knows what I was suffering. Every day I ask God and my daughter Jailyn for forgiveness, I am a person who believes in God, and I recognize that sometimes we are all tempted by the enemy on many occasions ” were the only words that Candelario said at court 

This case that went viral on social media ended with Candelario being sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, leaving her other daughter with her parents.