The mother, her boyfriend and the aunt of a 12-year-old girl whose remains were found outside an abandoned home in New Britain were arraigned Tuesday during tense hearings where multiple family members and supporters of the young girl were ejected for outbursts.
Karla Garcia, 29, of New Britain, the mother of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres, burst into tears in the lockup area and continued sobbing as she was brought before Judge Brian Preleski in Superior Court in Torrington. She faces charges of murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, risk of injury to a minor, intentional cruelty to a person under 19 years old, first-degree unlawful restraint, tampering with physical evidence and improper disposal of a body.
“Ain’t nobody here for you,” a spectator sitting in the rows reserved for Jacqueline’s family and friends shouted as Garcia looked toward the gallery multiple times.
Family and friends of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres leave Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse in Torrington after the arraignment of Torres’ mother, Karla Garcia; her aunt, Jackelyn Garcia; and Karla’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
“Looking to see if somebody’s here for you, (expletive),” the man said in apparent disgust moments before judicial marshals asked him to leave the courtroom.
The raw emotion from Jacqueline’s family and supporters spilled out even more when Garcia’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30, was being brought back to the lockup area after his arraignment.
Nanita is charged with murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, risk of injury to a child, first-degree unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to a child under 19.
“You (expletive) baby killer,” one spectator shouted before using a homophobic slur toward him multiple times. “You (expletive) killed her.”
Family and friends of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres gather outside Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse in Torrington after the arraignment of Torres’ mother, Karla Garcia; her aunt, Jackelyn Garcia; and Karla’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)
“I hope they bury you,” another person screamed before the courtroom immediately went into a recess following the hearings.
Family members and supporters declined to speak with media outside the courthouse. Many of them wore shirts with photos of Jacqueline along with the words “Forever 12” and “Mimi” inscribed on them and could be seen embracing one another before parting ways.
Preleski had warned those in attendance that he understood the hearings would be “emotionally charged” but that court officials would “not tolerate outbursts.” More than a dozen judicial marshals filled the courtroom before the arraignment hearings and formed a wall blocking the public from the only avenue to the defendants. Several Connecticut State Police troopers were also in the courtroom along with Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson and several of his uniformed officers.
Jackelyn Garcia, the sister of Karla Garcia. has been charged with first-degree unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a child and intentional cruelty to a child under 19 in connection with the death of her 12-year-old niece. (Courtesy of Farmington Police Department)
During the arraignment of Jacqueline’s aunt, 28-year-old Jackelyn Garcia of New Britain, court officials noted that she previously pleaded guilty to a felony count of risk of injury to a minor and was sentenced in December 2024 to 10 years in prison, suspended after service of 18 months, and five years of probation. Officials did not release further information about the prior case.
According to court records, the previous allegations stem from an arrest in New Britain. Officials said Jackelyn Garcia reported to court staff that she has struggled with substance abuse issues. She has been charged with first-degree unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a minor and intentional cruelty to a person under 19 years old in connection with the investigation into Jacqueline’s death.
Karla Garcia and Jackelyn Garcia were both apprehended on Sunday in New Britain after investigators obtained warrants for their arrest, police from the Farmington and New Britain Police Departments said at a news conference Monday. After making pleas with the public for help finding Nanita, Farmington police announced late Monday that he had been taken into custody in Waterbury.
Jonatan Nanita was arrested on Monday and charged with murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, risk of injury to a child, first-degree unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to a child under 19 in connection with the death of 12-year-old of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres. (Courtesy of Farmington Police Department)
According to court officials, Nanita, whose eye was bruised with multiple scabs on his face, is homeless in the New Britain area. Officials said his criminal history includes several convictions. Most recently, in January 2023, he was sentenced to 364 days in jail on charges of interfering with police and first-degree reckless endangerment, according to court officials.
Officials said Nanita’s record also includes multiple violations of probation, which he was placed on in connection with burglary and larceny charges. Officials said his record includes multiple convictions on burglary charges and that he has previously been sentenced to as many as six years in prison.
Court officials said Karla Garcia was convicted of third-degree assault in April 2019 and sentenced to a year in jail, suspended, and two years of probation. Court officials said she reported struggling with mental health issues.
Karla Garcia is facing charges of murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, first-degree unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a child, tampering with physical evidence, intentional cruelty to a child under 19 and improper disposal of a body in connection with the death of her 12-year-old daughter. (Courtesy of Farmington Police Department)
Preleski refused to acquiesce to a request from prosecutors asking that all three defendants be ordered to cooperate with the ongoing investigation being conducted by the state Department of Children and Families. He said such an order would raise “self-incrimination” concerns.
Preleski ordered Karla Garcia, Nanita and Jackelyn Garcia not to have any contact with each other while the cases are pending. They are also barred from contacting four children who were only identified by their initials, Preleski ordered.
Public defenders representing Karla Garcia and Nanita asked Preleski not to immediately schedule the probable cause hearings they are each entitled to within 60 days of their arrest since they each face murder charges in Jacqueline’s death and are exposed to the potential of life in prison. Both sides agreed that the time between the arraignment and their next hearing in November would be excluded from the statutory time limit.
Police said they believe 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres may have been dead since fall 2024 while her family was still living in Farmington. (Courtesy of Farmington Police Department)
Preleski transferred all three cases to the Part A docket — where the most serious matters are adjudicated — and continued them to Nov. 14. He left the bond amounts that were set on the warrants alone. Karla Garcia and Nanita each remain held in lieu of $5 million bail, while Jackelyn Garcia is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. None of them entered pleas during the hearings.
The arrest warrant affidavits in all three cases have been sealed, according to judicial officials.
Police officials at the news briefing on Monday said investigators have accused Karla Garcia and Nanita of killing Jacqueline after she is believed to have suffered prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment. Her remains were in an advanced state of decomposition when they were found in a storage bin that authorities allege that Nanita dumped outside a home on Clark Street on Oct. 8, police allege. The home had been vacant for more than two years and had no known connection to the family, officials said.
Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres was most recently listed as being homeschooled, according to officials. (Courtesy of Farmington Police Department)
Investigators believe Jacqueline likely died last fall before her remains were kept in her family’s Farmington residence until they relocated in March, police said. Detectives on Monday searched a home connected to the investigation, Farmington Lt. Kyle Noddin confirmed. Noddin said he could not immediately release further information.
Investigators have declined to say where they believe the girl’s body was kept from the time the family relocated until it was discovered in New Britain.
New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, who addressed media members at the news conference, thanked the anonymous caller who contacted police when they allegedly saw Nanita outside the abandoned home leaving a number of unspecified items as well as the storage bin.
“Without that initial call, no one can say for certain where we would be at this point in time,” said Stewart, a mother who said the allegations made her “sick to my stomach.”
A spokesperson for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Tuesday the findings of Jacqueline’s autopsy remain “pending further studies.” Police said the office made a “verbal report” to detectives handling the investigation, but they did not provide specifics.
Following his arraignment, Nanita was expected to be turned over to New Britain police who held a warrant charging him with destroying or tampering with evidence. Police said this stemmed from the allegations outside the abandoned home.
According to Stewart, there were no missing persons reports made for Jacqueline despite multiple family members telling authorities they had not seen her in about a year. Investigators believe Jacqueline was relocated from one school system to another and was being homeschooled at the time of her death.
According to court records, Jacqueline’s parents were involved in a custody battle in 2023 and 2024. In the custody application filed by Karla Garcia, records show, Jacqueline’s father is listed as “non-appearing.”
Stewart said DCF had prior involvement with Jacqueline’s family, though she did not elaborate.
Multiple state senators have publicly demanded answers, saying the system failed the young victim.
“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,” Interim DCF commissioner Susan I. Hamilton said in a statement late Monday. “We can confirm Jacqueline’s siblings are safe and have been placed together in state custody.”
Hamilton said officials have begun a “thorough review” of the agency’s history with the family.
“Consistent with our practice, this multidisciplinary review will include our knowledge about the family, supports provided, casework decisions, adherence to policy, as well as communication and collaboration with other system and community partners,” Hamilton said.
Police said they expect the investigation into Jacqueline’s death to go on for months or possibly years. Citing the need to protect the investigation, authorities said they would not be releasing additional information about the case. Anyone with information has been asked to contact New Britain police at 860-826-3000 or Farmington police at 860-675-2400.
