An 11-year-old girl from Connecticut was starved to death in a case that has revealed shocking allegations of abuse and a subsequent cover-up. The child's mother has entered a not guilty plea to charges of murder and cruelty.
A Case of Fatal Neglect and Abuse
Court documents state that Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia was deprived of food for the two weeks leading to her death in September 2024. Police reports also allege she was frequently restrained using zip ties. Her remains were discovered on 8 October of this year, stored inside a plastic bin that had been dumped at an abandoned property in New Britain.
The chief medical examiner officially ruled her death as “fatal child abuse with starvation.” Paul Melanson, the public safety director for the Hartford suburb of Farmington, expressed the profound impact of the case, stating, “No child should ever have to endure such suffering,” and acknowledging the emotional toll on investigators.
The Defendants and a Chilling Cover-Up
On Friday, 14 November 2025, the child's mother, Karla Garcia, 29, appeared in Torrington Superior Court. Her lawyer entered not guilty pleas on her behalf to charges of murder and cruelty to a child.
Also appearing were Garcia's ex-boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, who did not enter pleas to murder and related charges, and Garcia's sister, Jackelyn Garcia. Jackelyn Garcia pleaded not guilty to charges of cruelty to a child; she is not charged with murder. All three defendants remain in custody.
According to arrest warrants, Karla Garcia admitted to police that she and Nanita stopped feeding Jacqueline in the final fortnight of her life. She also confessed that all three adults mistreated the girl. In a bizarre twist to conceal the death, police allege that months after Jacqueline died, another child impersonated her during a video call with the Department of Children and Families.
Garcia had withdrawn Jacqueline from the local school system in the summer of 2024, claiming she would be homeschooled. When questioned about her daughter's whereabouts, she told people the girl was staying with friends or relatives. Police believe Garcia kept her daughter's remains in her home and moved them with her when she relocated to New Britain.
Systemic Scrutiny and Lasting Questions
The tragic death has triggered intense scrutiny of the state's child protection services and homeschooling regulations. The Department of Children and Families has confirmed it is reviewing its prior dealings with the family, which included a contact in 2022 where it was determined the children were safe.
This case has prompted state lawmakers from both major parties to question the agency's actions. Broader concerns have been raised about whether Connecticut's homeschooling laws require stronger monitoring to prevent such tragedies.
This incident echoes another recent case in Waterbury, where a man rescued from a fire said he had been held captive for two decades after being withdrawn from public school for homeschooling, further fuelling the debate on oversight and child safety.
