Family members of the 11-year-old Connecticut found dead in a plastic tote last month appeared in court this week, where details of her death surfaced.
On Friday, Jacqueline’s mother, Karla Garcia, 29; Garcia’s former boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30; and Jacqueline’s aunt, Jacelyn Garcia, 28, appeared in Torrington Superior Court in connection with abuse and ultimately, the death of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, Local 12 reported.
Karla Garcia entered not guilty pleas to charges including murder and cruelty to a child. Nanita has similar charges and did not enter into a plea.
The victim’s aunt, Jacelyn Garcia, pleaded not guilty to cruelty to a child and other charges. She has not been charged with murder.
Arrest and search warrants revealed the horrors Jacqueline is believed to have endured at the hands of her own family, along with an attempted cover-up. The official cause of death determined by the chief medical examiner is “fatal child abuse with starvation.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, police found the body of Jacqueline Torres on the afternoon of October 8, when they were called to investigate a report of suspicious behavior, WVIT reported.
They found the large container along the fence line in the backyard of the abandoned home.
Police said during a news conference on October 6 that they were told of someone dropping things off—including the storage bin where the remains were found.
New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino said the little girl’s body was in an advanced stage of decomposition, and investigators believe she died a year ago.
According to court records, it is believed Jacqueline possibly died in September 2024. To keep the girl’s death hidden, a child impersonated Jacqueline during a state child welfare agency video call after possible abuse allegations were reported.
Arrest warrants reveal that Karla Garcia and Nanita stopped feeding Jacqueline approximately two weeks before her death and that they, along with Jackelyn Garcia, regularly abused her, including using zip tie restraints.
Police stated that investigators were told by Karla Garcia that Jacqueline was “bad; she didn’t listen, and she didn’t respect them.”
The 11-year-old child reportedly misbehaved by hitting other children and getting into people’s cars, and the little girl had five boyfriends, according to the arrest warrant.
“This is a heartbreaking and deeply disturbing case. Our detectives, along with our local and state partners, have worked tirelessly to uncover the truth and to bring justice for Jacqueline. No child should ever have to endure such suffering,” Marino and Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said in a statement.
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[Feature Photo: Jacqueline Torres/Handout]
