NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) — The mother of a 12-year-old girl whose remains were found last week in a dumpster outside an abandoned Connecticut home has been charged in her death, along with her boyfriend and sister.
Karla Garcia, 29, of New Britain, was held on $5 million bail and was expected to be arraigned Tuesday. He faces numerous charges, including aggravated murder and criminal conspiracy. It is not known if he has hired an attorney.
The charges stem from the death of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres Garcia, who authorities say suffered “prolonged physical abuse and malnutrition” before she was murdered last fall. Police found his remains Wednesday in a container behind an abandoned house after responding to reports of suspicious activity at the home.
Karla Garcia and her 28-year-old sister, Jackelyn Garcia, also of New Britain, were arrested Sunday. Karla’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, who authorities say was the person seen leaving several items and a large container at the home, prompting the 911 call last week, was captured Monday night.
Nanita faces numerous charges, including aggravated murder and criminal conspiracy. For her part, Jackelyn Garcia is accused of unlawful deprivation of liberty, risk of injury to a minor and intentional cruelty to a person under 19 years of age. She was detained on $1 million bail and was due to be arraigned on Tuesday along with her sister, while the initial trial date against Nanita has not been scheduled.
As of Tuesday, it was not known whether Nanita or Jackelyn Garcia had hired attorneys.
At a news conference Monday, New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino said officers found the girl’s remains in an “advanced state of decomposition.” Authorities are still working to determine when and where he died, but say he could have died as early as the fall of 2024 while his family lived in the nearby town of Farmington.
Investigators believe the family kept Jacqueline’s body in the basement before they moved to New Britain, Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said.
No further details about the case have been released because the investigation is ongoing and could take months to complete, Marino said.
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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.
This article was published by AP News on 2025-10-14 11:09:00
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