A chilling case has taken a disturbing turn for a Connecticut mother and her boyfriend, already facing charges in the death of a young girl. Investigators have now leveled additional accusations against them, alleging a calculated scheme to defraud the food stamp system even as a life was tragically lost.
The investigation revealed that Karla Garcia and Jonatan Nanita continued to collect Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits long after the girl, Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia, was murdered – a death authorities believe was, in part, caused by starvation. The alleged fraud adds another layer of horror to an already heartbreaking story.
Records show Garcia had been receiving SNAP benefits for her household since October 2020, and those benefits remained active when she was arrested in connection with her daughter’s death. Police, alerted to the situation, contacted the Department of Social Services, uncovering a pattern of deception.
Investigators determined Jacqueline likely died in September 2024, months before the required paperwork for SNAP renewal was submitted. Garcia allegedly failed to report her daughter’s death in January 2025 and again in August 2025, continuing to claim benefits as if she were still alive.
The deception didn’t stop there. Garcia also failed to disclose that Nanita was living with her, concealing his presence from benefit administrators. Simultaneously, Nanita was independently receiving SNAP benefits, falsely claiming to be homeless.
Department of Social Services officials calculated that Garcia’s household would have received significantly reduced benefits – totaling thousands of dollars – had accurate information been provided. Both Garcia and Nanita had signed documents acknowledging the potential for jail time for providing false statements.
The investigation uncovered evidence suggesting Nanita improperly received $2,886 in SNAP benefits, with Garcia fully aware of the scheme. Receipts and surveillance footage allegedly show both defendants using Nanita’s Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, sometimes even when he wasn’t present.
Garcia now faces charges including conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny and multiple counts of providing false statements. Nanita is charged with first-degree larceny and also faces charges for making false statements to the Department of Social Services.
The grim details of Jacqueline’s death first came to light after an anonymous tip in October 2025 led police to discover her remains in a container near an abandoned home. The medical examiner’s report ruled her death a homicide, the result of deadly child abuse and starvation.
Following the discovery, Garcia confessed to police that her daughter had died in September 2024, months before the alleged SNAP fraud began to unfold. The case stands as a stark and devastating example of alleged betrayal and callous disregard for a vulnerable child.
