A mother is set to stand trial for murder after her 11-year-old daughter starved to death in Connecticut. Jacqueline 'Mimi' Torres-Garcia was denied food for two weeks before her death in 2024 and was frequently restrained with zip ties, according to police. Her remains were discovered in a plastic bin in October, but authorities believe she died at least a year earlier.
In a disturbing cover-up, another child impersonated Jacqueline during a video call with child welfare services months after her death, court records reveal. The chief medical examiner's office ruled that Jacqueline died of 'fatal child abuse with starvation.' Paul Melanson, public safety director in Farmington, said, 'No child should ever have to endure such suffering,' noting the emotional toll on investigators.
On Friday, Jacqueline's mother, Karla Garcia, 29, appeared in Torrington Superior Court, where her lawyer entered not guilty pleas to charges including murder and cruelty to a child. Two others arrested in the case also appeared: Jonatan Nanita, 30, Garcia's ex-boyfriend, who faces similar charges, and Jackelyn Garcia, 29, Garcia's sister, who pleaded not guilty to cruelty to a child. Lawyers for the defendants declined to comment on the charges.
Police allege that Karla Garcia admitted she and Nanita stopped feeding Jacqueline two weeks before her death, and that she, Nanita, and Jackelyn Garcia mistreated the girl, including using zip ties as restraints. Garcia told investigators her daughter was 'bad' and 'didn't listen.' She initially claimed Jacqueline died after Nanita stomped on her head, but later confessed to neglect after an autopsy found no physical injuries.
Jacqueline's body was found on October 8 in a plastic bin dumped at an abandoned house in New Britain. Police believe she died in September 2024 while living with her mother and siblings in Farmington. Karla Garcia kept the remains in her home and moved them when she relocated to New Britain. She had removed Jacqueline from school in summer 2024, claiming she would be homeschooled, and told others the girl was staying with friends or relatives.
The Department of Children and Families (DCF) is reviewing its dealings with the family after a video call in January 2025, where a girl impersonated Jacqueline. DCF had prior contacts with the family, last in 2022, when children were deemed safe. State lawmakers are questioning DCF's actions and whether homeschooling laws require more monitoring. Concerns were also raised after a man rescued from a house fire in Waterbury earlier this year.
