NEW BRITAIN, CT – Investigators have unveiled disturbing details in the death of a 12-year-old girl, whose family is now facing a series of criminal charges ranging from murder to fraud, after her body was allegedly hidden for months, and government assistance continued to be collected on her behalf.
Authorities say Karla Garcia, 33, and her boyfriend Jonatan Nanita, 31, are accused of abusing and ultimately killing Garcia’s daughter, Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, last fall. After the girl’s death, the pair allegedly attempted to conceal her remains in a large plastic storage container, which they initially tried to stash in a cemetery before moving it to an abandoned house.
Police described a grim sequence of events beginning in September 2024, when Jacqueline, who was being homeschooled and largely isolated from outside contact, was reportedly subjected to extended physical abuse and chronic food deprivation. According to autopsy findings, her body weighed barely 26 pounds when discovered—nearly half the typical weight for a child her age.
Authorities allege Garcia and Nanita kept the girl’s remains in their basement for several months before relocating to a new address. Court documents reveal that the condition of the body suggested severe malnutrition rather than decomposition, with state investigators noting the skin appeared “glued to the bones” and that the remains had been compressed inside the storage bin.
Despite Jacqueline’s death, Garcia continued to submit documentation listing her daughter as a household member on applications for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In both January and August 2025, officials say, Garcia failed to disclose both Jacqueline’s absence and Nanita’s residency in her home. Meanwhile, Nanita is accused of falsely claiming homelessness in his own benefit applications, which extended through October 2025.
Authorities say had the couple reported their true circumstances, their food assistance would have been reduced or denied. Both Garcia and Nanita signed government documents acknowledging the severe consequences for fraud, including possible fines up to $250,000 and lengthy prison terms.
Investigators also charged Garcia’s sister, Jackelyn Garcia, 28, with child cruelty and other crimes, alleging she sometimes witnessed and documented the child’s mistreatment. Police say Jackelyn admitted to seeing her niece “zip tied” and severely weakened, describing occasions when Jacqueline was forced to use dog training pads as a toilet. Photos allegedly captured by Jackelyn depicted the child in distressing conditions.
During interviews, inconsistencies emerged in the stories told by Karla Garcia and Jonatan Nanita. Garcia initially claimed her daughter was visiting a friend, later describing an argument where Jacqueline—distressed by her mother’s pregnancy—pushed her down a flight of stairs before Nanita allegedly attacked the girl. Both adults pointed blame at one another for the final moments of the child’s life, according to arrest records.
Jackelyn Garcia told officers she saw her niece looking extremely thin and was aware that Jacqueline had been confined for extended periods. While Jackelyn insisted she had no direct involvement in the child’s death, she acknowledged being aware of the storage bin and of efforts to dispose of the body once the odor became overwhelming.
The extensive investigation brought additional charges against Karla Garcia and Nanita for defrauding public assistance programs and providing false statements to authorities. Police say the abuse went largely unnoticed for months, as the family had withdrawn Jacqueline from traditional schooling and isolated her from the community.
All three adults remain in custody as the judicial process continues. Officials say the case highlights the complex intersections of child welfare, public benefits oversight, and the dire consequences when vulnerable children become invisible.