The man dating the mother of 11-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres faces new charges in connection with the child’s death.
Jonatan Nanita, 30, was charged last week with tampering with physical evidence and improper disposal of a body, according to court records.
The new charges, filed by the New Britain Police Department, stem from an anonymous tip police received on Oct. 8 alleging that Nanita picked up a “tote” in the woods of a cemetery and put it in the back of his Acura, according to police officials and search warrants tied to the case. He then allegedly drove to an abandoned home on Clark Street and ditched the storage tote, which was later found to contain Jacqueline’s body in an advanced state of decomposition, the warrants said.
Police said they believe 11-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)
Nanita, who remains held in lieu of bonds totaling more than $5.7 million, appeared before a judge in New Britain Superior Court after he was booked on the new charges on Oct. 22, court record show. He is scheduled to appear in court again next Tuesday.
The law firm representing Nanita did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Investigators believe Jacqueline had been dead since last fall and was kept in the basement of a Farmington residence shared by Nanita, her mother, 29-year-old Karla Garcia, and Garcia’s sister, 28-year-old Jackelyn Garcia, according to the Farmington Police Department. Authorities have said they believe the body was moved when the family relocated to New Britain in March.
According to search warrants used to examine Karla and Jackelyn Garcia’s cell phones, they each spoke to detectives in the days after the body was discovered and allegedly admitted that the young girl would be regularly zip tied and denied food as a form of punishment. The warrants also said Karla Garcia allegedly admitted she and Nanita stopped feeding Jacqueline about two weeks before she said she died on Sept. 19, 2024.
An autopsy found that Jacqueline’s body showed no signs of recent trauma or injuries that could have contributed to her death, though she appeared malnourished, according to search warrants.
Nanita and Karla Garcia were both arrested days after Jacqueline’s body was found and charged with murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder, intentional cruelty to a child and other charges. Investigators have accused the pair of killing the young girl.
Karla Garcia remains held in lieu of a $5 million bond.
Jackelyn Garcia, who is being held in lieu of a $1 million bond, faces charges of intentional cruelty to a child under 19 years old, first-degree unlawful restraint and risk of injury to a minor.
