The mother, her boyfriend and the aunt of a 12-year-old girl whose remains were found in a plastic bin behind an abandoned home in New Britain last week appeared in court on Tuesday.
The mother’s boyfriend, 30-year-old Jonatan Nanita, was detained in Waterbury on Monday night, according to police.
New Britain officials said he was in a stolen vehicle and trying to get away from police for the second time in a matter or hours and he was involved in a minor crash. Then, there was a brief struggle when he got out of the vehicle and police were trying to place him in handcuffs.
They said medics were called to the scene to evaluate Nanita and he was transported to the New Britain Police Department, then later turned over to Farmington Police.
Police found the remains of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia in a plastic storage bin last Wednesday while responding to reports of suspicious behavior behind 80 Clark St. in New Britain.
The body was in an advanced state of decomposition and police think that the little girl had been dead for around a year.
Police believe she died in the fall of 2024 while her family was living in Farmington and her body was kept in the family’s basement, then moved when the family relocated from the town in March 2025.
Officials said there was evidence to suggest that Jacqueline had been the victim of prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment.
New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart said the last known schooling for Jacqueline was homeschooling and police said that limited the community’s ability to recognize that she was missing.
The Consolidated School District of New Britain said Jacqueline Torres-Garcia was a student in the district from kindergarten through fifth grade and she was withdrawn in August 2024.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Jacqueline Torres-Garcia, a former student who had been withdrawn from the Consolidated School District of New Britain in August 2024. Jacqueline Torres-Garcia attended kindergarten through fifth grade in New Britain. On August 26, 2024, which would have been Jacqueline’s first day of sixth grade, her mother, Karla Garcia, filed an official Notification of Withdrawal Out of New Britain School District form stating that the student’s new address would be in Farmington. On that same day, Garcia filed a Notice of Intent: Instruction of Student at Home form with the district,” the statement from the school district says.
Jacqueline’s grandfather, Felix Osorio, said he hasn’t physically seen his granddaughter in two years and the mother would always make excuses to his son – the father – about why his granddaughter couldn’t FaceTime him.
Farmington schools released a statement on Monday night.
“It is with profound sorrow to learn that the remains of a young child found outside an abandoned house in New Britain belonged to Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, whose family previously resided in Farmington. While Mimi was homeschooled by her mother and never enrolled in the Farmington Public Schools, this tragic and heartbreaking news affects our entire community, our neighboring community, New Britain, and beyond. We extend our deepest sympathy to Mimi’s loved ones and friends both near and far,” the statement says.
Jacqueline Torres-Garcia’s mother, 29-year-old Karla Garcia, was arrested on Sunday, police said.
She has been charged with murder with special circumstances, intentional cruelty, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, unlawful restraint in the first degree, risk of injury to a child, tampering with physical evidence and a violation of disposal of a body.
The judge kept her bond at $5 million on Tuesday.
More about the case
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Nanita has been charged with murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, risk of injury to a child, unlawful restraint in the first degree, intentional cruelty to a child under 19, improper disposal of body and tampering with physical evidence.
Authorities said he tried to evade police in a stolen car a few times, and he was involved in a minor car crash.
After getting out of the vehicle, Nanita was taken into custody after a brief struggle. Nanita’s bond was also kept at $5 million.
Jacqueline Torres-Garcia’s aunt, 28-year-old Jackelyn Garcia, has been charged with unlawful restraint in the first degree, risk of injury to a child and intentional cruelty. Her bond was kept at $1 million.
A large group of friends and family were in the courtroom on Tuesday, wearing sweatshirts designed with Jacqueline’s face as well as angel wings on the back.
The courtroom was so crowded that marshals had a challenge to find room for the attorney to sit in the gallery and there was an outburst between the arraignments of Nanita and Karla Garcia.
The state asked that additional conditions be set, including that none of the suspects have contact with the others, as well as other people who were identified only by initials, and the judge agreed.
The state also asked that the judge set another condition to require that all the defendants cooperate with the state Department of Children & Families investigation, but the judge denied that request.
The warrants are sealed and police called this one of the worst cases that they have seen.
All three defendants are due back in court on Nov. 14.
“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,” New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino and Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said in a statement.
The cause of Jacqueline Torres-Garcia’s death is pending further studies, according to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
DCF Involvement
The Department of Children and Families said they have started a review of their history with the family.
Officials said it will look into their knowledge about the family, supports provided, casework decisions, adherence to policy and communication and collaboration with other system and community partners.
“Our hearts remain with all those impacted by Jacqueline’s tragic and shocking death. The Department is invested in being as transparent as possible about the family’s prior DCF involvement without interfering with the active and evolving criminal investigation,” DCF said in a statement on Monday.
DCF officials said Jacqueline’s siblings are safe and have been placed together in state custody.
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