Exclusive: Farmington police chief shares how officers are dealing with investigation into death of Mimi Torres-Garcia

FARMINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — In an exclusive interview with News 8, Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson shared how members of the department are grappling with the investigation into the death of 11-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, whose remains were found in a tote outside an abandoned building in New Britain.

Investigators believe Torres-Garcia died in October 2024 in Farmington. New Britain police said she was severely malnourished at the time of her death, only weighing about 26 or 27 pounds, and had likely been dead for a year before she was found earlier this month.

Melanson told News 8’s Dennis House on Thursday that this is one of the worst cases he has ever seen: an 11-year-old girl who was allegedly abused and starved, tied up and then her body stuffed into a bin.

Melanson, a father and grandfather, said this case has personally impacted him and his officers because of the gruesome details.

“I guess the first thing is, how can a parent do this to their child? I mean, you know, when we deal with others, and I’ve investigated murders before, murders for hire or those sorts of things, and those are difficult,” Melanson said. “Those are, you know, you think about the families that are impacted, right? The mothers and fathers who will never see their kids again, or this one takes on a whole different tone when it’s the parents abusing a helpless child.”

Karla Garcia admitted her daughter died sometime in her bed, but she wasn’t sure when exactly. Jonatan Nanita, Garcia’s boyfriend, had found the 11-year-old not breathing, then moved her body to the basement, according to the arrest warrant.

“It’s frustrating to know that she had been dead when we started investigating this, for over a year,” Melanson said. “When we finally got to the probable date of death, we’re talking about over a year that they concealed this from their family, their friends, from the other kids in the house, like they were able to then keep their daughter who was dead in the basement.”

Earlier this week, Melanson released video of his officers visiting the Farmington home of Torres-Garcia’s mother, Karla Garcia, on Dec. 29, 2024, regarding a noise complaint. Those officers had no idea Torres-Garcia was likely already dead in the basement.

“We did speak to the officers who did respond to that call,” Melanson said. “And, you know, they’re beating themselves up, but the reality of it is, I think all of us know those officers going to that scene. We’re going for a noise complaint. Sure. Those noise complaints, we handle thousands of those a year.”

Nanita was charged with murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, risk of injury to a minor, unlawful restraint and intentional cruelty to a child.

Karla Garcia has been charged with murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, risk of injury to a minor, first-degree unlawful restraint, intentional cruelty to a child under the age of 19, tampering with evidence and improper disposal of a dead body.Jackelyn Garcia, Karla Garcia’s sister, has been charged with cruelty to persons, first-degree unlawful restraint, first-degree reckless endangerment and four counts of risk of injury.