On Friday, January 16, 2026, 15-year-old Derek Rosa pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally stabbing his mother in 2023. According to The Mirror US, the then 13-year-old stabbed his mom, Irina Garcia, nearly 46 times.
The gruesome incident took place in October 2023. The teen reportedly attacked his mom while she was sleeping near her newborn daughter at their home in Hialeah, Florida. After killing the woman, the boy allegedly sent two photos of her mutilated body to a friend.
He then proceeded to click a selfie, showing his hands covered in his own mother’s blood. On the night of the crime, Rosa told officials that he found a kitchen knife after waking up and went on to repeatedly stab his mother until she died.
The boy then called 911 and told the dispatcher that he sent the pictures of his horrific deed to a person he met online. “I took pictures, and I told my friend about it. Was that bad?” Rosa reportedly asked.
According to NBC Miami, the teen’s guilty plea helped him avoid a first-degree murder charge. Florida’s 11th Circuit Court Judge Richard Hersch authorized the deal following numerous questions to verify the change of plea.
Earlier this month, the teenager and his attorneys arrived in court to request that the judge avoid using Rosa’s confession in the trial. The team argued that the boy was not competent at the time of his confession and did not have a full knowledge of his rights.
BREAKING: Derek Rosa is pleading GUILTY to the murder of his mother. He was 13 years old when he stabbed his mother while she was in bed. pic.twitter.com/heqCG75DWr
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) January 16, 2026
Defense attorney Dayliset Rielo also cited Rosa’s mental health history and said he had been diagnosed with ADHD and autism. The lawyer also deemed the boy cognitively and emotionally immature.
Meanwhile, Rosa’s stepfather, Frank Ramos, shared a heartbreaking victim impact statement during proceedings. Speaking to the defendant in Spanish, he said that Rosa “destroyed” the family by killing his mother.
Ramos also revealed that he once treated the teen as his own son. “Your mother was a loving mother and a dedicated person. Losing her destroyed our family and changed our lives forever,” he said.
While emotional family members had to leave the courtroom, Rosa reportedly said, “I’m sorry.” The boy was sentenced to 25 years in jail and 20 years of probation. The judge also ordered him to avoid contacting his stepfather and baby sister.
Derek Rosa pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. He will be sentenced to 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years of probation. Rosa was only 13 years old when he killed his mother. He’s now 15. pic.twitter.com/aoOaV8ygiK
— Cathy Russon (@cathyrusson) January 16, 2026
Following the verdict, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said, “The pain Irina Garcia suffered from the 46 stab wounds could only have been surpassed by the knowledge that the person killing her was her own young son.”
“The conclusion of this criminal case does not diminish the deep tragedy of Derek’s actions. When he stole his mother’s life, he also stole so much of his own future,” she added.
