Ariel García, 4 years old, died after a brutal attack by his mother, who pleaded not guilty to the charges

Janet Ernestina García, 27, was arrested by Everett police after finding the body of her son, Ariel García, on the side of the road in Pierce County, after being reported missing. The child’s mother was named as the main suspect in the homicide and she was accused of several charges, of which she claimed to be innocent during the court hearing.

Janet Garcia was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and first-degree assault of a child, Everett police said in a statement. During the hearing in Snohomish County Superior Court, the woman pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Prosecutors argued that the number of stab wounds showed that the attack on Ariel García had been prolonged, and that García had been exhibiting violent behavior days before his death, Daily Mail reported.

According to court documents, they had first revealed that the child received 16 stab wounds, but in a second autopsy it was specified that the infant suffered 41 stab wounds throughout his body.

Judge Cindy Larsen said there was enough evidence to establish probable cause, and she also reduced Garcia’s bond to $3 million.

The grandmother had requested custody

One day before the disappearance of Ariel García, his grandmother, María García had requested immediate custody of the child, and his 7-year-old brother, denouncing that Janet García had drug and alcohol problems, in addition to being violent.

On March 28, Everett police reported the disappearance of 4-year-old Ariel García. Authorities said the boy had left an apartment in the 4800 block of Vesper Drive with a relative, and called the disappearance suspicious.

Security camera images captured Janet García when she parked at a bar, but never entered. She got out of the vehicle and walked north. Police arrived at the scene and confiscated her car, a blue Nissan Sentra.

He had blood on his shoes and shirt

Then they got the call about an unwanted person at a home in Ridgefield. When agents arrived at the scene, they spoke with Janet García, but noticed that she had blood on her shoes and shirt, Herlad Net reported.

The woman said her son had fallen out of bed and hit his head earlier that day, and then made more false statements.

Everett police were notified of the discovery of a body on I-5 in Pierce County, later confirming it was Ariel Garcia. His mother was arrested and named as the main suspect and accused of the charges.

Ariel’s little brother was interviewed

Garcia’s 7-year-old son also attended an interview, where he told detectives that his mother choked and dragged him down the stairs and out of bed, injuring his head, Daily Mail reported.

The trial against Janet García will begin on June 7, the judge prohibited her from having contact with her 7-year-old son.

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