An 11-year-old girl was found dead having been starved to the point where her stomach contained only a single blueberry, according to a harrowing autopsy report. Her mother has been arrested and charged with murder.
Shocking Autopsy Findings Reveal Extreme Neglect
Jacqueline 'Mimi' Torres-Garcia was discovered deceased on October 8, 2025, in the basement of a vacant property in New Britain, Connecticut. The report from the Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner concluded the child's death was due to severe malnutrition and muscle atrophy.
The autopsy revealed the schoolgirl weighed a mere 27 pounds and had virtually no body fat. Her remains were in an advanced state of decomposition and found tightly folded in a foetal position. Authorities also noted the presence of diphenhydramine – the active ingredient in Benadryl – in her system, despite having no medical prescription for the drug.
Mother and Boyfriend Face Murder Charges
Karla Garcia, 29, the child's mother, has been charged with murder with special circumstances and a host of related offences, including conspiracy, risk of injury to a minor, and improper disposal of a body. Garcia has pleaded not guilty and is being held on a $5 million bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for January 30, 2026.
Police allege Garcia intentionally withheld food from her daughter for weeks. Court documents state she told investigators she had not fed Jacqueline for approximately two weeks prior to her death. The girl is believed to have died in September 2024 while the family lived in a Farmington condominium.
Jonatan Nanita, 30, Garcia's former boyfriend, is also charged with murder and conspiracy. Prosecutors claim he assisted in restraining the child and later helped dispose of her remains by placing them in a plastic container hidden in the yard of an abandoned New Britain home. Nanita has not yet entered a plea.
Systemic Failures and Further Arrests
Investigators state that Jacqueline had lived with her paternal grandparents until 2022, when Garcia regained custody. She was subsequently withdrawn from public school to be home-schooled, a move officials say made it harder to monitor her welfare. The New Britain school district confirmed she attended local schools through fifth grade before being pulled out.
In a disturbing attempt to cover up the crime, authorities allege Garcia misled the state Department of Children and Families after her daughter's death by using another child to impersonate Jacqueline during a video call.
A third individual, Jackelyn Garcia, 28, the child's aunt, has been arrested. Police allege she lived in the home, witnessed the abuse, and failed to intervene. She faces charges including cruelty to persons and reckless endangerment, with bond set at $1 million.
Jacqueline's father, Victor Torres, who learned of his daughter's death from police, has announced plans to file a $100 million lawsuit against the Department of Children and Families, alleging negligence. The investigation remains ongoing.
