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Janet Ernestina Garcia was charged with first-degree murder after her 4-year-old son, Ariel Garcia, suffered at least 41 sharp-force injuries in an Everett, Washington, apartment on March 27, 2024. The case remains pending, with no conviction or sentencing recorded.

Garcia, then 27, was Ariel's mother. Maternal grandmother Maria Angelica Garcia and other family members, including an uncle, had sought emergency guardianship of Ariel and his 7-year-old half-brother because of Janet's escalating methamphetamine and alcohol abuse, violent and unpredictable behavior, absences lasting days, and recent reports that she had been physically aggressive toward the older child. The petition was filed around March 25, and a temporary emergency order was granted shortly before the events. The family viewed Janet as a threat who could not care for the children. Investigators linked the apparent motive and concerns about premeditation to the custody dispute, Janet's reported relapse, and her plans related to treatment.

Ariel was last seen alive at about 7 a.m. March 27 at an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Drive, where Janet had been staying. A large amount of blood was later found on the floor. Initial reports described about 16 sharp-force injuries to the front of his body and a cluster on his upper back. The autopsy found at least 41 injuries, including defensive wounds to his arms and hands. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner listed the cause of death as "homicidal violence."

Ariel's body was wrapped in a blanket, described in some reports as a Christmas blanket, placed in the trunk of Janet's vehicle, driven south and dumped along I-5 near Joint Base Lewis-McChord in the Pierce County and Lakewood area. Surveillance video showed Janet carrying a toddler-sized object wrapped in a blanket into a forested area near the dumpsite and returning empty-handed. She then traveled farther south.

Relatives reported Ariel missing under suspicious circumstances at about 4 p.m. March 27 after arriving to serve the guardianship order and finding blood in the apartment, with Janet and Ariel gone. Everett PD, the FBI and other agencies conducted an extensive search. Ariel's body was found along I-5 in Pierce County at about 5:55 to 6 p.m. March 28.

Janet gave inconsistent accounts, including that Ariel fell and hit his head, that she took him to a hospital but left because of the wait, and that she left him with a nonexistent or unreachable friend in Seattle for a year while she entered treatment in Vancouver. Other versions involved adoption or different caregivers. She had blood on her clothing and shoes when contacted. She was arrested March 27 in the Vancouver and Ridgefield area of Clark County for false or misleading statements to police, and her vehicle was impounded. Everett PD's Violent Crime Unit, with Clark County assistance, formally arrested her March 29 on suspicion of first- and second-degree murder and first-degree assault of a child. She was booked into Snohomish County Jail. Evidence included blood in the apartment and on her clothing, the disposal video, injuries consistent with a prolonged attack, contradictory accounts, and the timing of the custody order. The murder weapon was not recovered.

Prosecutors filed charges in Snohomish County Superior Court in mid-April 2024, including first-degree murder and related counts with elements of domestic violence and aggravating circumstances involving a vulnerable victim. Janet pleaded not guilty at her April 22, 2024, arraignment. Bail was initially set at $5 million and later reduced to $3 million. She was found competent to stand trial at an April 2025 hearing following evaluations. Trial had been scheduled for August 2025, with related hearings, but the most recent publicly available reports showed the case still pending.

The video is about 48 minutes of police interview-room footage. It presents the interview itself, without narration or a presenter.