An Everett mother, Janet Garcia, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder in the death of her 4-year-old son, Ariel Garcia, whose body was found with multiple stab wounds. Garcia appeared in Snohomish County Superior Court on Monday, facing horrifying allegations that she murdered her child during a prolonged attack.
Investigators have come to believe that Janet Garcia may have stabbed her son "up to 41 times," in a gruesome act of violence within their apartment on Vesper Drive, as per court documents mentioned by KOMO News. The Endangered Missing Person Advisory was quickly followed up by the discovery of Ariel's body near Joint Base Lewis-McChord along I-5.
The defense attorney, Kathryn Fraser, contested the evidence of premeditation and requested to substantially reduce Garcia's bail from $5 million to $500,000. Fraser described the situation as "a tragic circumstance of the failure of meaningful access to addiction treatment and mental health resources," in a statement mentioned by The Herald. Ariel was initially reported missing under suspicious circumstances on March 27, setting off a regional search.
Further complicating this tragic case is the backdrop of a custody disagreement between Janet Garcia and her own mother, who reportedly had petitioned to gain guardianship of Ariel just two days before he vanished. In an affidavit cited by KOMO News, the grandmother expressed fears for Ariel's safety due to Janet Garcia's substance abuse and erratic behavior. “I love my grandson, and I want to protect him from whatever his mom is capable of while she is on drugs. He trusts me and feels safe with me. Since I have cared for Ariel all these years, I am already aware of his needs,” she wrote, portraying her daughter as incapable of providing a stable home.
According to the investigative report, Ariel Garcia suffered defensive wounds on his arms, suggesting he had attempted to protect himself during the fatal attack. When Janet Garcia was arrested, she was found to have blood on her clothing, which was documented in arrest records. The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's Office, as per details relayed by KIRO 7, confirmed the body found was indeed Ariel's, closing the brief but intensive search for the missing boy.
