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Mother and 2 others charged in death of child found in storage bin outside ϳԹ home

With murmurs of “I love you,” Erica Nieves comforts her 15-year-old daughter Tianna Clay at a memorial in front of the abandoned home where the remains of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres Garcia were found. Nieves, of Waterbury, said she knew the parents when they were younger and lived across the street from the abandoned home. “I can’t sleep,” Nieves said. “You’re their mother, you protect them from anything.” New Britain, ϳԹ, Oct. 14, 2025.
Joe Amon
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With murmurs of “I love you,” Erica Nieves comforts her 15-year-old daughter Tianna Clay at a memorial in front of the abandoned home where the remains of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres Garcia were found. Nieves, of Waterbury, said she knew the parents when they were younger and lived across the street from the abandoned home. “I can’t sleep,” Nieves said. “You’re their mother, you protect them from anything.” New Britain, ϳԹ, Oct. 14, 2025.

The mother of a 12-year-old girl whose remains were found last week in a storage bin outside of an abandoned home in ϳԹ has been charged in her death, along with her boyfriend and sister.

A judge maintained Karla Garcia's bail at $5 million during a brief court appearance Tuesday where she sobbed as prosecutors spoke of the charges against her. The 29-year-old New Britain woman faces numerous counts including murder with special circumstances and conspiracy. She did not enter a plea during the hearing, where she was represented by a public defender.

The counts stem from the death of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres Garcia, who authorities say suffered “prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment” before she was killed last fall. Police found her remains Wednesday in a container behind an abandoned home after they responded to reports of suspicious activity at the residence.

Karla Garcia and her 28-year-old sister, Jackelyn Garcia of New Britain, were both arrested Sunday. Karla Garcia's boyfriend, 30-year-old Jonatan Nanita — who authorities believe was the person seen dropping off several items and a large storage bin at the home which spurred the 911 call last week — was captured Monday night.

Nanita faces numerous counts including murder with special circumstances and conspiracy, while Jackelyn Garcia is charged with unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a minor and intentional cruelty to a person under 19 years old. Her bail was maintained at $1 million during a brief court appearance Tuesday with her sister while Nanita's bail was set at $5 million. Neither he nor Jackelyn Garcia entered a plea during the hearing.

The next court appearances for all three defendants were scheduled for Nov. 14.

Speaking Monday at a news conference, New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino said officers found the child's remains in an “advanced state of decomposition.” Authorities are still working to determine when and where she died, but they say she may have been dead since last fall 2024 while her family was living in the nearby town of Farmington.

Investigators believe Jacqueline’s body was kept in the family’s basement before they relocated to New Britain, Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said.

Further details about the case have not been disclosed due to the ongoing investigation, which Marino said could take months to complete.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from ϳԹ, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de ϳԹ, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

That means $2.1 million per year that ϳԹ relied on to deliver you news, information, and entertainment programs you enjoyed is gone.

The future of public media is in your hands.

All donations are appreciated, but we ask in this moment you consider starting a monthly gift as a Sustainer to help replace what’s been lost.

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ϳԹ’s journalism is made possible, in part by funding from Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Jaeger.