12-Year-Old Girl’s Remains in Bin Behind Abandoned House; Had Been Dead for a Year

Police in Connecticut say they have arrested the mother, her boyfriend, and the aunt of a 12-year-old girl whose body was found stuffed into a container behind an abandoned home last week.

Karla Garcia, 29, and her 30-year-old boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, have been charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder, according to WFSB. The aunt, 28-year-old Jackelyn Garcia, faces charges of cruelty and risk of injury to a person. Nanita has also been charged with tampering with evidence, police said, and Karla Garcia faces charges of cruelty to children.

Jonatan Nanita, Karla Garcia, and Jackelyn Garcia/Farmington Police Department

Police found the body of 12-year-old Jacqueline Torres on Wednesday afternoon when they were called to investigate a report of suspicious behavior, WVIT reported. They found the large container along the fence line in the backyard of the abandoned home.

Police said during a news conference on Monday that they were told of someone dropping things off — including the storage bin where the remains were found. New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino said the little girl’s body was in an advanced stage of decomposition, and investigators belief she died a year ago.

“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,” Marino and Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said in a statement.

Investigators say the family had been living in Farmington and believe that Jacqueline’s body was kept in the basement of the home there until the family moved earlier this year. They say the girl appeared to have been the victim of long-term abuse and malnutrition. The medical examiner has not yet released a cause of death.

The house where the girl’s remains were found had been vacant for more than two years, and there is no known connection between the family and that house.

The Department of Children and Families said it is reviewing its history with the family, implying they had one, and said that the girl’s siblings have been placed together in state custody.

Investigators said that Jacqueline was home-schooled, making it harder for anyone to realize she was missing, WFSB said.

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[Featured image: Jacqueline Torres/handout]