π¨ HEARTBREAKING HORROR: 12-Year-Old “Mimi” Torres-Garcia’s Remains Found in Plastic Bin After Anonymous 911 Tip β Mom Faked Video Call to DCF with Impostor Kid While Body Hidden for a YEAR! π±π
A desperate 911 call about a suspicious bin behind an abandoned Connecticut house unleashed a nightmare: Little Mimi starved, zip-tied, and abused for months before dying β then her own mother, aunt, and boyfriend allegedly covered it up, even duping child services with a fake “alive” video months later! Cops say the sweet girl suffered unimaginable cruelty… and no one reported her missing. This one’s gut-wrenching β how did it go unnoticed for so long?
The full chilling timeline and bombshell deceptions exposed β you need to read this now:
An anonymous 911 tip on October 8, 2025, about suspicious activity at an abandoned home on Clark Street led police to a horrific find: the decomposed remains of 12-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia stuffed inside a 40-gallon plastic storage bin, sparking a multi-agency probe that has rocked Connecticut and exposed alleged prolonged abuse, starvation, and a brazen cover-up by her own family.
Mimi’s mother, Karla Garcia, 29; her aunt, Jackelyn Garcia, 28; and Karla’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, 30 β all of New Britain β were arrested in mid-October on charges including murder with special circumstances, conspiracy, cruelty to persons, and tampering with evidence. Bail for Karla was set at $5 million, with the others held on $1 million bonds each.
New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino described the scene at a October 13 press conference: Officers responded to reports of a man β later identified as Nanita β dumping items, including the large bin, behind the vacant property. Inside, they found Mimi’s body in an “advanced state of decomposition.” Authorities believe she died around September 19, 2024, in the family’s Farmington condo after weeks of starvation and restraint with zip ties as “punishment.”
The case began unraveling when friends of Jackelyn Garcia tipped off police after spotting the bin. One reportedly lifted the lid and saw an elbow, prompting the immediate 911 call. Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said the body was likely stored in the family’s basement before being moved to New Britain when they relocated in March 2025.
Arrest warrants paint a disturbing picture of abuse. Karla Garcia allegedly admitted to police that she and Nanita stopped feeding Mimi two weeks before her death and used zip ties to restrain her on “pee pads” in a corner. Jackelyn, who lived with the family intermittently in summer 2024, told investigators she witnessed the “patterns of abuse” and knew Mimi “was going to die” when she left in August. She even sent photos of the restrained child to Karla.
Jackelyn had her own troubled past: Released from prison in August 2025 after serving time for risking injury to her own infant child in 2024. Nanita faces additional charges for allegedly stuffing the body into the bin with chemicals to mask the odor and dumping it in late September 2025.
Complicating matters, Mimi was never reported missing. Withdrawn from New Britain schools on August 26, 2024 β the first day of sixth grade β for homeschooling, her absence flew under the radar. Mayor Erin Stewart noted homeschooling made detection harder.
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) has come under fire for its handling. Mimi, born in January 2013 while Karla was detained, was placed with paternal relatives until guardianship was reinstated to parents in 2022. DCF provided services intermittently but closed cases without substantiating abuse toward Mimi.
In a bombshell revelation, DCF conducted a January 2025 video call after concerns about a sibling. Karla claimed Mimi was out-of-state with relatives and presented “a person” as her daughter β but police say Mimi was already dead. Satisfied, DCF closed the case in March.
Interim DCF Commissioner Susan Hamilton launched an internal review, insisting no prior reports indicated starvation or abuse of Mimi. But lawmakers blasted the agency. State Rep. Corey Paris called it a “failure,” demanding better oversight.
The Office of the Child Advocate is probing all agencies involved, with Gov. Ned Lamont nominating a new leader amid the scandal. Calls for “Mimi’s Law” β requiring in-person homeschool checks and body cams for DCF visits β have surged.
Mimi’s paternal grandparents, seeking to demolish the Clark Street house for a memorial park, told media they’re seeing “justice for little Mimi.” A horse-drawn carriage funeral procession drew mourners, with tributes piling up at the site.
Autopsy results pending, but no recent trauma β malnourishment apparent. Motive remains unclear; family denies or blames each other in interviews.
As of November 7, 2025, charges consolidated in Torrington court; no trials set. Police urge tips to New Britain PD at (860) 826-3000.
This tragedy β a child hidden in plain sight, allegedly betrayed by those closest β has fueled debates on child welfare gaps. Mimi’s story echoes warnings: Homeschooling loopholes, DCF overload, family deception. Connecticut mourns, demanding change.