Mother pleads not guilty in death of 4-year-old son, Ariel Garcia

EVERETT, Wash. — On Friday, Janet Garcia was charged with first-degree murder in the death of her son, 4-year-old Ariel Garcia.

Garcia plead not guilty Monday in Snohomish County Superior Court. Her bail was set at $3 million.

Janet Garcia is alleged to have killed her son on March 27, two days after her mother filed for emergency minor guardianship. Garcia’s mother believed she was a threat to her son due to alleged drug and alcohol abuse.

Investigators believe Garcia killed her son inside an Everett apartment before taking his body to Lakewood, where she placed him along Interstate 5 the same day.

Later that day, she was arrested in Vancouver, Washington, for allegedly making false statements to police.

Ariel Garcia was reported missing under suspicious circumstances by a family member around 4 p.m. on March 27.

Early Thursday morning, on March 28, police notified the public of the missing child. Thursday evening, an Endangered Missing Persons Advisory was sent out for Ariel Garcia using the Amber Alert system.

Just six minutes after the alert, a body believed to be that of Ariel Garcia was found. On Friday, March 29, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the body was that of the missing 4-year-old.

The same day, Everett Police arrested Janet Garcia for the death of her son. Garcia was taken from custody in Clark County and transported to the Snohomish County Jail.

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