Los Angeles - On Friday, June 15, 2001, detectives assigned to the Abused Child Unit responded to the Martin Luther King/ Drew Medical Center to conduct a possible murder investigation. At the time the officers arrived at the Medical Center, two-year-old Jasmine Garcia had been placed on life support. Hospital personnel advised the responding officers they believed Jasmine to be the victim of child abuse. According to hospital personnel, Jasmine's brain was not registering activity.

Upon investigation, the officers and detectives discovered that 21 year-old Manuel Garay, Jasmine's foster father, had physically abused her to the point of causing catastrophic injury to Jasmine's head.

Garay was arrested and booked for felony child abuse at Southeast Area Jail and his bail has been set at $1,000,000.00. Jasmine Garcia died on Saturday, June 16, 2001, at approximately 9:30 a.m. as a result of her injuries. Garay will be rebooked for murder.

This Press Release was prepared by Officer Guillermo Campos, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.