Insets, left to right: Karla Garcia (New Britain Police Department), Jonatan Nanita (NBPD), Jacqueline "Mimi" Torres-Garcia (GoFundMe). Background: Body camera footage showing police speaking with Karla Garcia in December 2024 at the Connecticut home where she was allegedly hiding her dead 12-year-old daughter (NBPD).
Newly released arrest warrants reveal chilling details on how a Connecticut mother and her boyfriend allegedly abused, murdered, and stowed away the body of the mom's 12-year-old daughter inside a 40-gallon "tote" container, which they tried hiding in a cemetery before dumping it at an abandoned house.
"[The daughter] was folded at the waist with the legs curled up against the torso and knees facing the skull," the arrest warrants state for Karla Garcia, 29, and Jonatan Nanita, 30, who are both charged with murder for allegedly killing Garcia's child, Jacqueline "Mimi" Torres-Garcia, sometime in the fall of 2024.
"The skin appeared to be glued to the bones," the warrants state. "The condition of the corpse was due to severe malnourishment, not decomposition."
Police say Torres-Garcia suffered "prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment prior to her death" and is believed to have been murdered in the town of Farmington. Garcia and Nanita allegedly kept the youngster's body "in the family's basement" — inside of the tote — and then moved it after relocating to New Britain in March. Torres-Garcia was living with the couple at the time and being homeschooled, which led to her disappearance going largely unnoticed, per officials. The child's body weighed approximately 26 to 27 pounds when she was found.
"Garcia admitted [to cops] that Jacqueline Torres-Garcia died sometime in her bed, but she wasn't sure exactly when," her arrest warrant alleges. "She stated Jonatan Nanita came downstairs one day and told her (Garcia) that Jacqueline Torres-Garcia 'was not breathing anymore,'" according to the document. "Garcia stated Jonatan Nanita moved Jacqueline Torres-Garcia's body to the basement, but she never went down there to see what he did with it. Garcia stated the smell became so bad that they began to stay at hotels and with other friends."
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The warrants outline how Garcia and Nanita allegedly pointed fingers at each other while being questioned by police and "gave different accounts concerning what had happened" to Torres-Garcia.
Garcia originally told New Britain detectives that her daughter "was fine, and visiting a friend," according to her arrest warrant. She then admitted to arguing with Torres-Garcia over Garcia being pregnant with another child, claiming that Torres-Garcia "was upset that she was pregnant again," per cops.
"She stated that during the argument Jacqueline pushed her down the stairs inside her house causing both of them to fall down the stairs," the warrant says. "Garcia stated that Jonatan became upset with Jacqueline, kicked her in the head, and dragged her off. Garcia stated that she never saw her daughter again after that. Garcia denied any knowledge of the tote containing her daughter."
Nanita, meanwhile, alleged that he was "homeless after Garcia kicked him out" and was contacted by her to "dispose" of a tote that was at her apartment building, his warrant states.
"Nanita explained that he walked into the home and saw blood all over the walls, along the staircase," according to the police. "Nanita stated he asked what happened and [Garcia] said that they didn't know … Torres-Garcia was missing. Jonatan Nanita stated he panicked and left the apartment without knowing what happened. Jonatan Nanita stated he went back the next day, and the blood was cleaned up. Jonatan Nanita stated he never saw Jacqueline Torres-Garcia again and they never talked about what happened."
Torres-Garcia's autopsy revealed no signs of trauma or injuries to the body that would have contributed to her death, according to police. There were also no signs of internal bleeding.
"Garcia later admitted that she and Nanita would mistreat Jacqueline together because Jacqueline was 'bad, she didn't listen, she didn't respect them,'" her warrant says. "Garcia went on to say that Jacqueline was doing things she wasn't supposed to do, including striking other kids, going into people's cars, and having five boyfriends. Garcia ultimately admitted that they stopped giving Jacqueline food for about two weeks prior to her death."
Garcia's sister, Jackelyn Garcia, 28, allegedly took part in the abuse of Torres-Garcia and also spoke to cops about what she saw leading up to the girl's death, according to the arrest warrants. She is charged with risk of injury to a child, unlawful restraint, and child cruelty.
"Jackelyn admitted to seeing her niece zip tied on a couple of occasions," her warrant says. "Jackelyn was asked how long Mimi was deprived of food and she stated she did not know but that when she last saw her, she was already skinny. Jackelyn was asked several times during this interview what happened. [Cops] informed Jackelyn that Mimi died in her bed from malnutrition from not eating for weeks. Jackelyn stated when she went to Farmington, she observed her skinny. Jackelyn further stated Mimi was always in the corner of the house and that the zip ties started at the 'end.'"
Police say Jackelyn Garcia took photos of Torres-Garcia while she was "zip tied, severely malnourished, and laying on dog pee pads to use as a bathroom."
Jackelyn Garcia told investigators that there was an incident in which "Mimi peed or defecated herself and she watched Jonatan pick her up by her shoulders and bring her downstairs." According to her warrant, Jackelyn Garcia said Nanita hit Torres-Garcia and she heard her crying. Jackelyn Garcia insisted she had "nothing to do" with Torres-Garcia's death, but she was aware of the tote that contained her body, police say.
"Jackelyn stated that Karla told her that Jonatan moved the bin with his Acura and that Jonatan said he had to get rid of the bin because it was beginning to smell in the car," her warrant says.
Nanita allegedly told police that he "placed the tote in his truck, and per the instructions of Garcia, he drove to a nearby cemetery to hide the tote." Jackelyn Garcia stated that the cemetery is where the sisters' "mother is buried" and was "dug up." But Nanita could not find a good location, so he drove the tote to the abandoned building and dumped it in the backyard.
Nanita's new girlfriend spoke to police and said she remembered him "driving to a cemetery, picking up a tote, putting the tote in the trunk of the Acura, then driving to 80 Clark St. where he removed the tote from the trunk and placed it at that location," according to the arrest warrants.
"She remembered that the tote smelled bad," the documents say. "After thinking about it, Marrero believed that the tote may have contained a body and told her friends."
Police say Nanita was spotted dropping off the container at the abandoned residence. Torres-Garcia's biological father, Victor Torres, and her stepmother, Frances Melendez, told local CBS affiliate WFSB that they didn't find out she was missing until January 2025, months after investigators believe she was killed. Victor Torres said the last time he spoke to his daughter was on her 12th birthday, which was Jan. 29.
"In 35 years, this is one of the worst cases that we've had," said Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson at a press conference earlier this month. "No child should ever have to endure such suffering."
Karla Garcia faces charges of murder and child cruelty, while Nanita is charged with murder and conspiracy.
