The New Britain community gathered in grief and remembrance on Saturday to say goodbye to 11-year-old Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, whose tragic death has shaken the city and drawn outrage across Connecticut.
A horse-drawn carriage carried the young girl’s white casket through the streets of New Britain, as family members, friends, and neighbors lined the procession route. The funeral began at the Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home and continued to a nearby church on Stanley Street, where loved ones held an emotional service in her honor.
Torres-Garcia’s body was discovered earlier this month inside a container behind an abandoned home on Clark Street. Police believe she was killed sometime in fall 2024.
Since the discovery, three family members have been arrested and charged in connection with her death. Her mother, Karla Garcia, and Garcia’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita, face charges of murder and conspiracy to commit murder, while her aunt, Jackelyn Garcia, has been charged with cruelty to persons and related offenses.
Police also allege that Nanita tampered with evidence in an attempt to conceal the crime. All three suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues.
The case has sparked widespread sorrow and calls for justice, with community members holding vigils and fundraisers in Mimi’s memory. Mourners at Saturday’s service described her as a “bright, loving child” whose life was taken far too soon.