An 11-year-old girl passed away after enduring two weeks without food. Her body was discovered in a plastic bin in Connecticut, revealing evidence of repeated restraint with zip ties, as per police reports. The tragic circumstances surrounding Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia’s death have come to light through the disclosure of arrest and search warrants, detailing severe abuse and an alleged cover-up.
Shortly after her demise, another child assumed Jacqueline’s identity during a video call with the state child welfare agency, according to court documents. The official ruling from the chief medical examiner’s office confirmed that Jacqueline succumbed to “fatal child abuse with starvation.”
Expressing dismay, Paul Melanson, public safety director in Farmington’s Hartford suburb, emphasized the emotional impact of the girl’s death on investigators. Jacqueline’s mother, Karla Garcia, 29, along with two others implicated in the case, appeared in Torrington Superior Court, where Garcia’s attorney entered not guilty pleas on her behalf for charges including murder and child cruelty. Garcia’s ex-boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, faced similar charges but did not enter pleas. Garcia’s sister, Jackelyn Garcia, denied charges related to child cruelty.
The defendants’ court proceedings were adjourned to December. Legal representatives for the accused, currently in custody on bail, refrained from commenting directly on the allegations following the hearings.
Ioannis Kaloidis, a lawyer representing Jackelyn Garcia, acknowledged the shocking nature of the accusations and emphasized that his client’s responsibility is yet to be determined.
Jacqueline’s remains were found in a plastic bin in New Britain, about 12 miles from Hartford, a year after her suspected demise in September 2024 while residing with her family in Farmington. Arrest warrants indicated that Karla Garcia confessed to withholding food from Jacqueline in the weeks leading up to her death, and all three defendants admitted to mistreating her, including using zip ties for restraint. Garcia, who has children with Nanita and another man, initially alleged that Jacqueline’s death resulted from Nanita’s actions but later confessed to neglect and abuse.
Authorities alleged that Nanita disposed of the bin containing Jacqueline’s body at an abandoned residence. Karla Garcia cited her daughter’s disobedience as justification for mistreatment during police interviews. She originally claimed Jacqueline died from injuries sustained in a fall but later admitted to neglecting her. Subsequently, she retained Jacqueline’s remains and relocated them when she moved to New Britain earlier that year.
In 2024, Jacqueline was withdrawn from school by her mother, who indicated she would homeschool her. When questioned about Jacqueline’s whereabouts, Garcia provided misleading information to officials. The Department of Children and Families responded to reports of mistreatment in the Garcia household in January of this year, but a subsequent video call involved a different girl, not Jacqueline.
State lawmakers are scrutinizing the department’s actions, particularly in light of concerns regarding the monitoring of homeschooled children. Recent events have prompted a review of homeschooling regulations to enhance child welfare oversight. Earlier in the year, the Department of Children and Families faced criticism following a similar case where an individual rescued from a house fire revealed he had been held captive for two decades after being removed from public school for homeschooling purposes.
