Jacqueline “Mimi” Garcia: Mother, Boyfriend, and Aunt Charged After 12-Year-Old’s Body Found Behind Abandoned Connecticut Home

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The decomposed remains of a 12-year-old girl was recently found behind an abandoned home in New Britain, Connecticut. 

This grim discovery has ultimately led to the arrest of her mother, aunt, and mother’s boyfriend, as reported by CBS News.





On Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the New Britain police received a 911 call about suspicious activity behind a vacant home on Clark Street. 

When officers arrived, they found a large plastic storage bin behind the house. Inside, they discovered the remains of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres Garcia, a 12-year-old girl who had not been seen since march 2024.

According to WFSB, authorities said the body was in an advanced state of decomposition, suggesting that Jacqueline had been dead for months before being found. 

“It takes a toll mentally and physically,” said Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson. “It’s very difficult for us to contemplate how this can happen in a civilized society like ours.”


Jacqueline Garcia 

Jacqueline Garcia 




After the chilling discovery, and an investigation by detectives, police arrested Jacqueline’s mother, Karla Garcia, 29, along with her sister, 28-year-old Jackelyn Garcia, both from New Britain. 

A third accomplice, Karla’s boyfriend, 30-year-old Jonatan Nanita, was later captured in Waterbury. 

He reportedly tried to flee the police in a stolen car but he was eventually taken into custody after he crashed, and resisted arrest. 

When he appeared in court the following day, he had visible bruises and cuts on his face from the crash.

All three now face multiple charges related to the death of Jacqueline Torres Garcia. 
  • Karla Garcia has been charged with murder with special circumstances, first-degree unlawful restrain, risk of injury to a child, and improper disposal of a body.
  • Nanita faces the same charges, in addition to conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with physical evidence.
  • Jackelyn Garcia is charged with child cruelty, unlawful restraint, and risk of injury to a minor.

Karla Garcia is being held on $5 million bond, while her sister’s bond is set at $1 million. All three were arraigned on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at Litchfield County Superior Court in Torrington. 

The judge ordered them to have no contact with each other or with four unidentified minors connected to the family.


Jonatan Nanita 

Jackelyn Garcia 

Karla Garcia, the victim’s biological mother 



According to WFSB, the police say that Jacqueline suffered prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment before her death. 

Investigators believe the girl died in the fall of  2024, and her body was kept hidden in the basement of the family’s former home in Farmington for nearly a year before they moved to New Britain.

After the family moved, they allegedly tried to get rid of the victim’s body behind the abandoned home. 

However, some people noticed suspicious activity when Karla’s boyfriend was seen moving items near the home.

That observation led to an anonymous tip, which guided officers to the Clark Street property where the body was found.

“I want to thank the initial caller for speaking up, for having the courage to say something,” said New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart. “Without that call, no one can say for certain where we would be at this point in time.”

What has deeply disturbed many is how no one reported Jacqueline missing for nearly a year. Police confirmed that Jacqueline’s last record of schooling showed she was homeschooled, which made it more difficult for anyone to notice her absence.

Mayor Stewart said the Department of Children and Families (DCF) had previous contact with the family and has now launched a full review of its interactions and decisions. 

“This makes me sick to my stomach to be standing here today,” Stewart said during a press conference. “We’re reviewing every step to understand how this happened.”

Jacqueline’s father, Victor Torres, who did not have custody of his daughter, said he had not seen her since January 29, 2024. “We learned what happened from the police,” he told reporters. “It’s heartbreaking. She didn’t deserve this.”

Family friends and residents of New Britain have continued to visit the abandoned home, leaving flowers and stuffed animals in honor of the young girl’s memory.

Police say the investigation remains active and could take months to complete as they piece together the timeline of Jacqueline’s final days and determine exactly how she died.

“We handle many types of crimes in our work — the ones involving kids are probably the most difficult,” Chief Melanson said. “Just because arrests have been made doesn’t mean the work is over.”

Jacqueline would have turned 13 in January 2025. For now, her community is left mourning a young life lost, while demanding answers about what really happened. 

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