Hialeah teen accused in mom's murder in court for hearing ahead of trial

A Hialeah teen accused of brutally stabbing his mother to death more than two years ago was back in court for a hearing Monday before his trial is expected to start later this month.

Derek Rosa faces a first-degree murder charge in the killing of his mother, Irina Garcia, who was found slain at the family’s apartment.

Rosa, now 15, was just 13 when he was arrested in the murder of his mother, who police said was stabbed over 40 times on Oct. 12, 2023.

Police said officers responded to the apartment after the teen called 911 to confess he’d stabbed his 39-year-old mother to death with a kitchen knife.

After taking Rosa into custody, officers found Garcia dead in her bedroom next to a crib with her newborn, who was unharmed.

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.

Rosa, who at the time was an 8th grader at iMater Academy in Hialeah, is being charged as an adult and is being held without bond while he awaits trial. He has pleaded not guilty.

His trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 26.

At Monday’s hearing, Rosa’s attorneys were asking the judge to block the teen’s confession from being used as evidence at trial.

Rosa covered his ears as the confession was played in court in which he described grabbing a purple knife and targeting his mother near an artery.

In the video, he said she screamed as he killed her and then he took pictures of her body and sent them to an online friend.

Prosecutors want to use the confession to secure a guilty verdict in the trial, and believe Rosa was possibly driven by a fascination with violence, including horror movies and disturbing online videos.

Rosa’s attorneys are urging the judge to block the interrogation from the trial, saying the teen didn’t knowingly or intelligently waive his right to remain silent.

The defense said Rosa lacked maturity and understanding, and at times appeared confused by legal terminology used by investigators.

Much of Monday’s hearing featured questioning of Hialeah Police’s lead detective on the case about the interrogation.

Several other motions are also pending, including Rosa’s request to delay the start of the trial.