A 13-year-old Florida boy was taken into custody at an apartment complex in Hialeah in connection to the fatal stabbing of his mother, police said.
According to Hialeah Police, officer’s responded to the juvenile’s 911 call confessing to the murder from inside Apartment 201 along the 200 block of West 79th Place, late Thursday night.
The suspect, identified as 13-year-old Derek Rosa, was charged with second-degree murder. He appeared in court Friday afternoon.
“Right now, we’re all in disbelief,” said Hialeah Police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez
Police said Rosa called 911 at 11:31 p.m.
“He called right away; he called after he did it and pretty much turned himself in over the phone, I guess you could say,” said Rodriguez.
Rosa later told detectives he stabbed his mother while she slept, according to an arrest report. He took photos of his mother’s body and sent them to a friend on social media, and told the same friend over the phone that he killed her, the report said.
When officers arrived at the apartment, they instructed Rosa to come out with his hands up. A neighbor’s cellphone was recording as he was immediately taken to the ground.
As Rosa was cuffed by one officer, the rest entered the unit.
“Now that 13-year-old, has been taken into custody, he is facing some very serious charges,” Rodriguez said.
According to the arrest report, the mother, 39-year-old Irina Garcia, “was found on the bedroom floor by Hialeah Police patrol officers with multiple stab wounds to the neck.”
Rodriguez said the victim’s body was just inches from her newborn who was born just a few days ago.
“Next to a crib. Inside of that crib, a 14-day-old baby that thank goodness was not hurt,” he said.
A judge agreed to give Rosa secure detention for 21 days.
Officers said Rosa was an honor roll student at iMater Charter Middle/High School. They aren’t aware of any history of problems or mental illness.
“It’s a very tragic, sad story, and now we’re just in the process of talking to family members to see if they can shed some light on this,” Rodriguez said.
Officers said that Rosa’s stepfather also lives at the home, but was not there at the time of time because he is a trucker. He is making his way back to South Florida.
An investigation into the murder is underway.
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