hospital. She was notified of her son's death as she cupped him on his hospital bed, and according to body camera footage, she was promptly asked to leave as police investigated.

Around midnight that same day, police filmed Candelaria at the apartment walking them through her steps that day before and during her baby's drowning.

In January 2025, a grand jury indicted Candelaria on two counts of child abuse and neglect and second-degree felony murder.

In her trial last week, Virginia Beach prosecutors alleged that leaving her baby alone and unattended for minutes constituted child neglect, and therefore second-degree murder. A friend testified that she was on FaceTime with Candelaria when the incident occurred.

A medical examiner testified that the baby had drowned; a medical professional testifying on Candelaria's behalf concluded Valentino' s death was accidental. Both agreed the baby was well cared for.

Candelaria's attorney, Bray, argued that there was no way Candelaria could have known or intended for her actions to lead to her baby's death.

Even if she shouldn't have left the baby to retrieve a towel, unless she knew doing so would cause his death,  it doesn't make it a crime,  Bray said.  She's a mom who made a mistake. 

 There is a family without a child and a mother without a baby,  Bray said after the verdict. And Candelaria,  she lives with that. 

Prosecutors are considering bringing a second child abuse and neglect charge against Candelaria to trial, a charge they previously intended to drop.

Nori Leybengrub, 757-349-3523, nori.leybengrub@virginiamedia.com