SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. –
A young mother was found stabbed to death in Southwest Miami-Dade after her 3-year-old daughter was found wandering a neighborhood alone, leading detectives to arrest the victim’s ex-boyfriend, authorities said.
The family of Maria Camila Garcia-Molina created a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. In it, loved ones wrote that the 24-year-old “was the most beautiful and loving girl that you can ever imagine. She was a hardworking woman who had dreams, plans, and a beautiful future ahead.”
But Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies said that future would be cut short.
Detectives said the victim was found stabbed to death in her car in a parking lot inside her neighborhood, off Southwest 143rd Street and 137th Avenue, Saturday evening.
Sunday afternoon, 7News cameras captured shattered glass where deputies had to force their way into Garcia-Molina’s vehicle.
Neighbors who spoke with 7News said they were shocked to learn about the horrific crime.
“On the side of my house, like six feet from my fence. It’s horrible, it’s tragic, it’s just horrible,” said an area resident who asked not to be identified or show his face on camera.
Deputies arrested the victim’s ex-boyfriend, 29-year-old Joy Chandra Nath, in connection to the murder.
According to investigators, Garcia-Molina left her home with her daughter at around noon on Saturday.
A few hours later, detectives said, the toddler was found wandering the neighborhood with blood on her.
Nath’s arrest report states the child “disclosed to a MDSO Vulnerable Victims Unit detectives that her mother was with Joy, and that her mother was hit in the head, and she was now sleeping.”
Deputies said they found the victim with several stab wounds around 6:30 p.m. in the back seat of the car, covered in blankets.
“When I got back from the store, everything was all taped off, and then, when we found out there was a girl in the car, at that point we didn’t know what was going on,” said the area resident who spoke with 7News.
As they were processing the crime scene, investigators said, Nath arrived to the area covered in scratches on his arms, face and neck.
Authorities said the suspect spontaneously said he was with the victim that morning and had her belongings with him and was going to return them.
When they searched his car, detectives said, they found Garcia-Molina’s cellphone and purse.
After analyzing cellphone data, detectives took Nath into custody.
The 29-year-old suspect frequently posts about dating and women on the social media app TikTok.
Family members told detectives that Nath had a history of stalking the victim, and she even had a past restraining order against him.
Moreover, Nath was out on bond for a previous crime. Back in December, he was charged with grand theft and fraud.
Garcia-Molina’s heartbroken family said her 3-year-old will now grow up without her mother.
“Poor baby, that’s all I can say. I have a year-and-a-half-old daughter, and I couldn’t imagine,” said. “It’s horrible. There’s no other way to describe this: It’s a tragedy.”
Nath is being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center in West Miami-Dade. He faces murder and child abuse charges.
