Woman Admits She Impersonated an 11-Year-Old Girl, Who Was Later Found Dead, During Zoom Call with Social Services

A Connecticut woman testified that she was asked to pretend to be an 11-year-old girl during a Zoom call with the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) — months before the child’s body was later found inside a 40-gallon storage bin.

According to NBC Boston and the Greenwich Times, 22-year-old Jacklyn Goulet told a court on Jan. 28 that the girl’s mother, Karla Garcia, asked her to impersonate Jacqueline “Mimi” Torres-Garcia during a January 2025 video call with DCF.

Goulet testified that she didn’t know Mimi was already dead at the time. She said she had been told the child was staying with an aunt in another state, and that the call was arranged because Garcia feared her children could be taken away, according to the outlets.

Goulet’s testimony came during a probable cause hearing for Garcia’s boyfriend, Jonatan Nanita. Garcia and Nanita have both been charged with murder in connection with Mimi’s death, NBC Boston reported.

Goulet testified that Garcia came to her Hartford apartment ahead of the call and wrote down the names and ages of her other children so Goulet could answer questions convincingly, according to the Greenwich Times and NBC Boston. Goulet said Garcia and an aunt were present during the video call.

During the hearing, Goulet described being asked whether she missed her siblings.

“I said I talked to them every day on the phone and that we FaceTimed,” Goulet testified, according to the Greenwich Times. She said she also spoke to the caseworker about school, grades, and friends — and claimed she wasn’t asked much else.

Goulet also testified that after she later learned Mimi was dead, she FaceTimed with Garcia, who allegedly told her Nanita had killed Mimi and threatened to kill her and the other children if she spoke about it, according to the outlets.

DCF caseworkers had asked to see Mimi in person after receiving a complaint, but her family claimed she was living out of town and instead arranged the video call, the Greenwich Times reported.

A judge is expected to decide whether there is sufficient probable cause for prosecutors to continue pursuing the case against Nanita after the hearing concludes, according to NBC Connecticut.

Authorities say Mimi’s remains were discovered months later. On Oct. 8, police in New Britain responded to a call about suspicious activity at an abandoned building at 80 Clark St., New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart said at a press conference on Oct. 13.

At the scene, officers found a large container in a backyard holding what was believed to be human remains, New Britain Police Chief Matthew Marino said. The remains were later identified as the 11-year-old girl.

Investigators concluded Mimi had likely died in the fall of 2024 while her family lived in Farmington, according to Paul Melanson, Farmington’s public safety director.

Officials have alleged the family took Mimi’s remains with them when they moved from Farmington in March 2025, Melanson said.

According to an affidavit, when authorities opened the 40-gallon bin they found the child’s body inside a plastic bag, wrapped in a comforter and sheets, and placed in a laundry basket.

NBC Connecticut reported that a medical examiner later ruled Mimi’s cause of death as fatal child abuse involving starvation, and the manner of death as homicide.

The child was never reported missing, police said, per WWNY.

Investigators have alleged that Mimi was denied food for roughly two weeks before her death and was frequently restrained with zip ties, according to arrest and search warrants that have been released in recent weeks, the Associated Press reported.

After the remains were found, Garcia was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including murder with special circumstances, conspiracy to commit murder with special circumstances, improper disposal of a dead body, and intentional cruelty to a child under 19.

Nanita also faces charges including improper disposal of a body, fraud, and larceny.

Mimi’s aunt, 28-year-old Jackelyn Leeann Garcia, has been charged in connection with the girl’s alleged abuse, but has not been charged with murder.