In New Britain, Connecticut, a tragic case has emerged involving the death of a 12-year-old girl whose remains were recently discovered in a storage bin outside a deserted house. The girl’s mother, alongside her boyfriend and sister, now faces charges related to the child’s death.

Karla Garcia, aged 29 and a New Britain resident, is being held with a $5 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment on Tuesday. She is charged with several serious offenses, including murder with special circumstances and conspiracy. It remains unclear whether she has legal representation at this time.

The charges relate to the death of Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres Garcia. Authorities have revealed that the young girl endured “prolonged physical abuse and malnourishment” before her untimely death last fall. Police discovered her remains last Wednesday after responding to reports of suspicious activity at the abandoned property.

Both Karla Garcia and her sister, 28-year-old Jackelyn Garcia, also from New Britain, were taken into custody on Sunday. Karla’s boyfriend, 30-year-old Jonatan Nanita, believed to have been the individual seen leaving several items, including the storage bin, at the residence, was apprehended on Monday night.

Nanita is facing charges that include murder with special circumstances and conspiracy. Meanwhile, Jackelyn Garcia faces charges of unlawful restraint, risk of injury to a minor, and intentional cruelty to someone under 19. She is under a $1 million bail and will appear in court alongside her sister on Tuesday. Nanita’s court appearance has yet to be scheduled.

It wasn’t known Tuesday if either Nanita or Jackelyn Garcia have retained attorneys.

Speaking Monday at a news conference, New Britain Police Chief Matt Marino said officers found the child’s remains in an “advanced state of decomposition.” Authorities are still working to determine when and where she died, but they say she may have been dead since last fall 2024 while her family was living in the nearby town of Farmington.

Investigators believe Jacqueline’s body was kept in the family’s basement before they relocated to New Britain, Farmington Police Chief Paul Melanson said.

Further details about the case have not been disclosed due to the ongoing investigation, which Marino said could take months to complete.