MIAMI – Derek Rosa, the 13-year-old Hialeah teen accused of murdering his mother by stabbing her multiple times as she slept next to his newborn half-sister, is now being charged as an adult.
Rosa wasn’t present in court Friday to face a judge on a first-degree murder charge in connection with the Oct. 12 killing of Irina Garcia, his 39-year-old mother; his father and paternal grandmother appeared on his behalf alongside his attorney. A grand jury indicted the teen, officials with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office said.
The high-profile case has made national, and international, headlines.
The stabbing happened just after 11:30 p.m. and Rosa called 911 to report that he had just murdered his mother, Hialeah police said.
Authorities said arriving officers found Garcia lying dead next to a crib where her 14-day-old daughter was sleeping at the family’s apartment at 211 W. 79th Place, in the Amelia Oaks complex, police said.
An arrest report states that officers found Garcia lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds to her neck.
New booking photo:
Authorities said Rosa was an honor student at iMater Charter Middle/High School, had no previous history of mental health issues, and said he was calm and apologetic after officers arrived at the scene.
Following the killing, authorities said they were “dumbfounded” by what happened and said they hadn’t identified a motive. Police were reportedly probing Rosa’s social media in an effort to find clues.
In 911 audio released earlier this week, Rosa told a dispatcher that he took pictures after the killing and sent them to a friend.
“I took pictures and I told my friend about it,” he’s heard saying. “Was that bad?”
He later said, “I don’t know his real name because he’s an online friend who I play with a lot. I didn’t delete the pictures off my phone, but I sent them to him, and I told him that I was sorry and goodbye. Goodbye to him.”
Following Friday’s court hearing, a judge ordered he be held without bond and transferred to the Metro West Detention Center, where he will be held while a judge reviews the defense’s request to have him returned to juvenile custody.
His father, Jose Rosa, fought for his release. Jose Rosa and his mother provided 26 character reference letters to the judge.
“It’s very unfortunate that this tragedy occurred, but this child is very humble, very respectful and nobody could have imagined that this would ever happen,” Jose Rosa said, adding, “He’s a child. Nobody in the house, in the family, sees him as a grown man.”
He’s set to face a judge in an arraignment hearing on Tuesday.
Rosa could face life in prison if convicted. While first-degree murder is a capital crime in Florida, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty is unconstitutional for juveniles.