Child Welfare Advocate Calls for More Funding, Improvements at Connecticut's DCF

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The revelations continue in the probable cause hearing for Jonatan Nanita, one of three people connected to the death of 11-year-old Jacqueline "Mimi" Torres-Garcia. Testimony revealed that a Department of Children and Families (DCF) worker, who was working with the family during a sibling's neglect case, unknowingly spoke with a woman in her 20s pretending to be Mimi via a video call, even though Mimi was believed to have been dead for a year at that point. Sarah Eagan, the state's former Child Advocate, says this case highlights the major challenges facing DCF, which she says is "really on the brink workforce-wise, service-wise, foster care availability-wise, practice-wise" and needs significantly more funding to fulfill its legal obligations to ensure the safety of children.

Why it matters

The Mimi Torres-Garcia case has exposed serious issues within Connecticut's child welfare system, including failures to properly monitor children under DCF's care. As the former state Child Advocate, Sarah Eagan's comments carry significant weight and underscore the urgent need for reforms and increased funding to address these systemic problems.

The details

Testimony in the probable cause hearing for Jonatan Nanita revealed that a DCF worker conducting a video check-in on Mimi Torres-Garcia spoke with a woman in her 20s pretending to be the 11-year-old, even though Mimi was believed to have been dead for a year at that point. Sarah Eagan, the former state Child Advocate, says this case highlights major challenges facing DCF, including issues with its workforce, services, foster care availability, and overall practices. Eagan says DCF needs significantly more funding, likely tens of millions of dollars, to fulfill its legal obligations to ensure the safety of children in its care.

• The probable cause hearing for Jonatan Nanita, one of three people connected to Mimi Torres-Garcia's death, is ongoing.
• Mimi Torres-Garcia was believed to have been dead for a year when the DCF worker unknowingly spoke with a woman pretending to be her.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The upcoming short legislative session in Connecticut provides an opportunity for budget adjustments that could help provide more funding for the DCF to address its systemic challenges.