A 13-year-old honor student is accused of killing his mother as she slept beside her newborn daughter. Derek Rosa allegedly stabbed his mother, 39-year-old Irina Garcia, in their home in Hialeah, Florida. The mother of two had reportedly given birth just two weeks before.
Police have identified the suspect, despite his status as a minor, because he is being charged with second-degree murder, according to the New York Post. The heinous crime shocked neighbors and law enforcement, and investigators are trying to determine why the teenager turned on his mother.
The teen allegedly called the police for help.
Hialeah Police Lt. Eddie Rodriguez told WSVN that officers arrived at an apartment along the 200 block of West 79th Place after Rosa called 911 around 11:30 p.m., claiming he stabbed his mother. Officers reportedly told the teenager to leave the apartment with his hands up.
“He called right away; he called after he did it and pretty much turned himself in over the phone, I guess you could say,” Rodriguez told the news station.
Garcia’s body was on the bedroom floor near her daughter's crib.
When police officers entered the apartment, they found the mother of two’s body in a bedroom with multiple stab wounds to her neck. Her baby was inside the crib but reportedly suffered no injuries. Rosa was arrested and taken to a juvenile detention center. His stepfather was not home at the time.
Rosa doesn’t seem to fit the image of a killer.
The teen was reportedly an honor student at iMater Charter Middle/High School. Rodriguez said the teenager was calm and apologetic when officers arrived at the scene, according to Local 10. He added that police had never been to the home before and said the teenager had no known history of mental illness.
Neighbors were shocked by the tragedy.
“I was shocked, just shocked by the news. He was always with his mom, calm, he would help her carry packages or shopping bags,” Lazaro Rodriguez, who lives nearby, told Local 10 in Spanish. “I never saw anything abnormal with him. I don’t know what could’ve happened.”
Investigators believe the family also shared their apartment with Rosa’s stepfather. The infant is reportedly with her grandmother.
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Investigators are trying to figure out a motive.
Rosa allegedly gave little information as to why he might have killed his mother. “Neighbors don’t know of any problems inside the home,” Rodriguez said. “So this has detectives and us dumbfounded.”
After his arrest, the teen was reportedly taken to a detention center but transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital after threatening to harm himself. Local 10 reported that Rosa appeared in court on October 12 and was charged with murder.
Neighbor Wendy Gil organized a GoFundMe account for the family. She wrote, “I was lucky enough to know Irina for a year since moving to our apartment. She was a person that I can only describe as beautiful both inside and out. She was always so warm and kind. on the night of Thursday October 12, truly the unthinkable happened.
“Her 13 year old son took her life while she slept leaving behind a beautiful 14 day old baby girl,” she continued. “I am creating this go fund me to help her husband with anything this money can cover. From funeral expenses, to whatever baby girl may need.”
The fundraiser thus far has nearly $700 in donations, with a goal of $10,000.
