Defense seeks jail logs in effort to move Hialeah teen accused of killing mother back to juvenile detention

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A 13-year-old boy from Hialeah who is accused of stabbing his mother to death in October appeared in court on Tuesday in Miami-Dade County as his defense team asked for jail logs in their effort to move the teen back to a juvenile facility.

The defense team claimed Derek Rosa’s rights were being violated by him being held at the adult Metrowest Detention Center in Doral.

Ultimately, nothing was decided Tuesday, but the judge agreed to hold another hearing on the matter Thursday, giving the defense a chance to call witnesses.

Tuesday’s hearing came a day after the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office released crime scene photos related to the case.

Multiple photos showing the murder weapon – a knife with its tip cut off – were released, along with surveillance images showing the victim, Irina Garcia, 39, holding her newborn daughter, and also of her son later standing over her.

Derek Rosa standing over his mother's body. (Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office)

Rosa is accused of fatally stabbing his mother as she slept next to his 14-day-old half-sister on Oct. 12.

He has pleaded not guilty after a grand jury indicted the honor roll student on a first-degree murder charge.

Police said Rosa called 911 just after 11:30 p.m. on the night of the killing to report that he had just murdered his mother at their apartment at 211 W. 79th Place. An arrest report states that officers found Garcia lying on the ground with multiple stab wounds to her neck.

Rosa told a 911 dispatcher that he sent photos of the crime scene to an online friend and told him “goodbye.”

Derek Rosa and knife prosecutors say was used in his mother's killing. (Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office)

One crime scene photo released by the state attorney’s office pictures Rosa with his tongue sticking out, which they said he sent to a friend after the killing.

Police haven’t yet publicly identified a motive for the murder.

Relatives said Rosa did not have a history of mental illness and got along with his family.

He is currently being held without bond at the Metrowest Detention Center in Doral.

He is being represented by attorney Jose Baez, whose previous high-profile clients included Casey Anthony, Aaron Hernandez, and Harvey Weinstein.

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About the Authors

Amanda Batchelor is the Digital Executive Producer for Local10.com.

Trent Kelly is an award-winning multimedia journalist who joined the Local 10 News team in June 2018. Trent is no stranger to Florida. Born in Tampa, he attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he graduated with honors from the UF College of Journalism and Communications.

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