CLEVELAND — Kristel Candelario, the 31-year-old Cleveland mom facing multiple charges in her daughter's death after allegedly leaving the 16-month-old girl home alone to go on vacation, made a brief court appearance in the case on Thursday where a judge set bond at $1 million.
Candelario, who was present in court with an interpreter, entered a plea of not guilty. The first pretrial hearing was then set for Wednesday, July 5 at 9 a.m. before Judge Brendan Sheehan.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office says Candelario left her daughter unattended for 10 days at her residence near Lorain Avenue and West 97th Street back on June 6.
"A preliminary investigation conducted by CPD’s Homicide Unit revealed that Candelario left her child alone and unattended from June 6 to June 16 to vacation in Detroit, Michigan, and in Puerto Rico," according to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's office. "The 16-month-old child was extremely dehydrated at the time of death. The 16-month-old child was discovered in a Pack-N-Play pin on a liner soiled with urine and feces with soiled blankets."
Candelario was indicted on the following charges earlier this week:
- One count of aggravated murder
- Two counts of murder
- One count of felonious assault
- One count of endangering children
“It is unfathomable that a mother would leave her 16-month-old child alone without any supervision for 10 days to go on a vacation,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley. “As parents, we are supposed to protect and care for our children. 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.”
