A mother in Connecticut will stand trial for murder following the starvation death of her 11-year-old daughter, a case that has profoundly disturbed investigators and raised serious questions about child welfare oversight.
The Tragic Death of Jacqueline Torres-Garcia
According to police reports, Jacqueline "Mimi" Torres-Garcia was deliberately denied food for the two weeks leading up to her death in 2024. The young girl was also reportedly subjected to frequent restraint using zip ties by her mother and other adults in the household.
Her remains were discovered in October inside a plastic storage bin, though authorities believe she had actually died at least a year earlier. In a particularly disturbing attempt to conceal the crime, another child impersonated Jacqueline during a video call with child welfare services several months after her death, as revealed in court documents.
The chief medical examiner's office recently confirmed that Jacqueline's death resulted from "fatal child abuse with starvation." Paul Melanson, public safety director in the Hartford suburb of Farmington, expressed the collective horror, stating: "No child should ever have to endure such suffering." He added that the case has been emotionally challenging for all investigators involved.
Court Proceedings and Defendants
On Friday, November 14, 2025, three defendants made brief appearances in Torrington Superior Court. Karla Garcia, 29, Jacqueline's mother, had not guilty pleas entered on her behalf to charges including murder and cruelty to a child.
Garcia's ex-boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, did not enter pleas to similar murder charges. Garcia's sister, Jackelyn Garcia, who faces cruelty to a child charges but not murder, also pleaded not guilty. All three defendants remain detained on bail, with their cases continued to December.
Lawyers for the defendants declined to comment directly on the allegations following the court hearings. Ioannis Kaloidis, representing Jackelyn Garcia, acknowledged: "Obviously the allegations are horrific and what happened to this child is horrific. What my client's culpability is has yet to be determined."
Systemic Failures and Wider Implications
The case has prompted serious scrutiny of child protection systems and homeschooling regulations. The Department of Children and Families is currently reviewing its dealings with the family, having had prior contacts ending in 2022 when officials determined the children were safe.
In a particularly alarming incident in January of this year, the department conducted a video call to check on Jacqueline's sister after reports of possible mistreatment. During this call, Karla Garcia presented another girl as Jacqueline, successfully deceiving child welfare officials months after her daughter's death.
State lawmakers from both major parties are now questioning the department's actions and considering whether homeschooling laws require stronger monitoring provisions to prevent similar tragedies. This case follows another concerning incident earlier this year where a man claimed to have been held captive for two decades after being removed from public schools for homeschooling.
The grim discovery of Jacqueline's body occurred on October 8 when police found her remains in a plastic bin dumped at an abandoned house in New Britain, approximately 12 miles southwest of Hartford. According to arrest warrants, Karla Garcia admitted that she and Nanita stopped feeding the girl two weeks before her death and that multiple adults in the household mistreated her.
Garcia initially provided conflicting accounts of her daughter's death, suggesting Jacqueline died after Nanita stomped on her head following an altercation. However, she later confessed to the neglect and abuse when investigators revealed the autopsy showed no physical injuries consistent with that story.
Authorities revealed that Garcia kept her daughter's remains in her home and transported them when she moved back to New Britain earlier this year. She had withdrawn Jacqueline from the local school system in the summer of 2024, claiming she would be educated at home, and subsequently told inquiring individuals that the girl was staying with friends or relatives.
