A Connecticut mother and her boyfriend are facing serious criminal allegations. Karla Garcia and Jonatan Nanita are charged in the tragic death of Garcia’s daughter, Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia. Her death has been ruled a homicide due to chilling circumstances of deadly abuse and starvation. The situation has worsened for them; they now face additional charges linked to food stamp fraud.
Investigators reveal that Garcia and Nanita continued to collect food stamp benefits after the death of the young girl. This deception continued even after they were aware that Jacqueline was no longer alive. According to reports from the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), Garcia had been receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) since October 2020. Her enrollment in this assistance program remained active through her arrest, despite the tragic reality that her daughter was murdered.
Specifically, Jacqueline’s remains were discovered in October 2025, hidden in a container outside an abandoned house. An anonymous tip facilitated this grim finding. The medical examiner’s findings indicated that her death was a direct result of horrific abuse, marking it as a homicide.
DSS investigators uncovered that Garcia failed to report Jacqueline’s death on multiple occasions. In January 2025 and again in August of the same year, allegations surfaced that Garcia did not inform authorities about her daughter’s death or that she was living with Nanita. This failure to disclose critical information resulted in substantial benefits that should not have been accessible to them. Investigators concluded that had Garcia provided accurate details, her household would have received significantly reduced benefits.
Garcia and Nanita also faced scrutiny regarding Nanita’s food stamp benefits. Not only did he receive his own SNAP benefits starting in October 2024, falsely claiming to be homeless, but the pair also used those benefits improperly. The DSS calculated that Nanita wrongfully received $2,886 in SNAP benefits, and there were signs that both defendants were using his EBT card indiscriminately.
Both Garcia and Nanita are now facing severe legal consequences. Garcia faces charges such as conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny and two counts of providing false statements. Nanita is charged with first-degree larceny and two counts of making false statements. Investigators have evidence pointing to their acknowledgment of potential jail time for providing false information, reinforcing the gravity of their actions.
This case stands as a harrowing reminder of the negligence and brutality that can occur within a family context. The initial homicide investigation painted a dark picture of the circumstances surrounding Jacqueline’s life, now compounded by the allegations of fraud. It highlights failures in protecting vulnerable individuals and the dire consequences of deception against programs meant to offer assistance to those in legitimate need. As this case unfolds in court, it will bring to light the tragic complexities intertwined in these allegations.
"*" indicates required fields
