Tragic Discovery of an 11-Year-Old's Remains
The body of an 11-year-old schoolgirl, Jacqueline 'Mimi' Torres-Garcia, was discovered last month inside a plastic bin at an abandoned property in New Britain, Connecticut. Authorities believe the young girl may have been dead for over a year, with her death officially ruled as fatal child abuse with starvation.
Shocking Details of Abuse and Neglect Emerge
According to arrest and search warrants, Jacqueline was subjected to severe mistreatment in the weeks leading up to her death. Police state that her mother, Karla Garcia, 29, admitted that she and her ex-boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, stopped giving the girl food for two weeks before she died. The warrants also allege that Jacqueline was often restrained with zip ties.
In a disturbing attempt to cover up her death, another child was used to impersonate Jacqueline during a video call with the Connecticut Department of Children and Families in January of this year. Karla Garcia had withdrawn Jacqueline from school in the summer of 2024, claiming she would be homeschooled.
Police allege that after Jacqueline's death in September 2024, her mother kept the remains in her home and moved with them when she relocated to New Britain. It is believed that Nanita dumped the bin containing her body at the abandoned house on October 8, 2025, where it was subsequently found.
Legal Proceedings and Systemic Failures
Karla Garcia and Jonatan Nanita have been charged with murder and cruelty to a child. Garcia's sister, Jackelyn Garcia, faces charges of cruelty to a child but is not charged with murder. All three defendants appeared in Torrington Superior Court, with lawyers for Karla and Jackelyn Garcia entering not guilty pleas.
The case has raised serious questions about the state's child welfare system. The Department of Children and Families had determined the children were safe in 2022, two years before Jacqueline's death. The agency is now reviewing its dealings with the family, and state lawmakers are scrutinising both the department's actions and the monitoring of homeschooling, as Jacqueline had been removed from public school.
