Farmington, CT – A Connecticut mother and her boyfriend are facing murder and child cruelty charges after investigators uncovered horrific details about the death of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, whose malnourished body was found folded inside a 40-gallon tote container abandoned behind a vacant house. Police say the child had been starved, zip tied, and abused for weeks before her death.
The Incident: 12-Year-Old Found Dead in Plastic Tote
According to arrest warrants released by the Farmington Police Department, Karla Garcia, 29, and her boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, allegedly murdered Garcia’s daughter sometime in the fall of 2024 and stored her body in their home’s basement.
When the couple later moved to New Britain, they allegedly transported the body in a 40-gallon tote before abandoning it in the backyard of an empty property after a failed attempt to bury it in a cemetery.
“The skin appeared to be glued to the bones,” investigators wrote in the warrant, describing the body’s severe malnourishment, not decomposition.
Police say Jacqueline weighed only 26 to 27 pounds at the time of her discovery, indicating prolonged starvation.
Garcia reportedly admitted that her daughter had died in her bed, though she claimed she did not remember when. According to the affidavit, Nanita told her the child was “not breathing anymore” and later moved the body to the basement.
“The smell became so bad that they began to stay at hotels and with other friends,” the warrant states.
Investigation and Evidence: Starvation, Abuse, and Concealment
Investigators say the child endured “prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment” leading up to her death. Garcia allegedly confessed that both she and Nanita “mistreated Jacqueline together because she didn’t listen.”
The arrest documents reveal disturbing allegations of intentional starvation. Garcia admitted that the couple stopped feeding Jacqueline for nearly two weeks before her death as a form of punishment.
“She was folded at the waist with her knees against her skull,” the affidavit said, describing the position of the child’s body inside the tote.
Garcia’s sister, Jackelyn Garcia, 28, also faces charges of child cruelty, unlawful restraint, and risk of injury to a child. She told investigators she had seen her niece zip tied on multiple occasions and lying on dog pee pads used as a toilet.
Jackelyn admitted that she had witnessed Nanita carrying the child downstairs after she had soiled herself, and that she later heard crying. She told police she was aware that Jacqueline’s body was kept in a tote, which was later moved because it “smelled so bad.”
The Disposal: Failed Cemetery Burial and Abandonment
According to police, Nanita told investigators that he initially tried to hide the tote in a cemetery, where the Garcia sisters’ mother was buried. He allegedly dug into the ground but was unable to conceal the container.
Instead, he drove the tote to an abandoned home on Clark Street in New Britain, where he left it in the backyard.
Nanita’s current girlfriend later confirmed to police that she remembered him retrieving a tote from a cemetery and dropping it off at an abandoned property.
“She remembered that the tote smelled bad,” the warrant said. “After thinking about it, she believed it may have contained a body.”
Police surveillance and witness statements placed Nanita at the location where the container was ultimately recovered.
Court Proceedings and Charges Filed
Both Karla Garcia and Jonatan Nanita have been charged with murder. Garcia also faces child cruelty charges, while Nanita is additionally charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
Jackelyn Garcia has been charged separately for her role in the ongoing abuse of the victim.
The arrest affidavits detail how the suspects blamed each other during police questioning, giving conflicting accounts of how Jacqueline died. Garcia initially claimed her daughter was “fine and visiting a friend,” before admitting to the argument that preceded the abuse.
“In 35 years, this is one of the worst cases that we’ve had,” said Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson at a press conference. “No child should ever have to endure such suffering.”
An autopsy revealed no external injuries or signs of internal bleeding, reinforcing the conclusion that starvation was the cause of death.
Family’s Reaction and Timeline of Discovery
Jacqueline’s biological father, Victor Torres, and stepmother, Frances Melendez, told reporters that they did not learn she was missing until January 2025, months after her presumed death.
Victor Torres said the last time he spoke to his daughter was on her 12th birthday, January 29, before losing contact completely.
Police say the delay in reporting her missing was due in part to the child being homeschooled, which allowed her disappearance to go unnoticed by the wider community.
Background and Broader Implications
The case has renewed calls for tighter oversight of homeschooling and child welfare in Connecticut, especially for families with prior reports of neglect or domestic violence.
Child advocates say Jacqueline’s death underscores how vulnerable homeschooled children can be when isolated from teachers, doctors, and mandatory reporters who might otherwise detect signs of abuse.
Authorities are now reviewing whether additional child protective services failures may have contributed to the tragedy.
Ongoing Developments and Next Steps
Garcia and Nanita are both being held on multi-million-dollar bonds and are awaiting pretrial hearings in Hartford Superior Court.
Prosecutors say the case remains active, with forensic evidence and phone records still being analyzed to establish the exact timeline of the child’s death and concealment.
The court has ordered mental health evaluations for both defendants, and additional charges may be filed as the investigation progresses.
Conclusion
The horrifying death of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia has shaken Connecticut to its core. Prosecutors say the case reflects “unimaginable cruelty and neglect” by those who were supposed to protect her. As the trial approaches, the community continues to mourn the little girl whose suffering was hidden behind closed doors for far too long.
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