The case of Derek Rosa once again captured public attention this week, as the teenager appeared before the Miami-Dade criminal court and listened to key excerpts from his own confession, including the call he made to 911 after allegedly murdering his mother.
During the hearing, fragments of the police interview and the 911 call made by Derek himself after the attack were played.
In the videos, the teenager explained that he first contacted a friend online to tell him that he had stabbed his mother and even sent him photographs of the body.
The scene was shocking: As the audios and videos of the police interrogation played, the young man covered his ears inside the room, trying to block out the sound of his own voice recounting the crime to the operator.
In one of the clips shown in the cut, Rosa is heard describing the attack with phrases that shook those present.
He said that first he "cut" her on the neck and then stabbed her in a place where "a lot of blood comes out."
It was precisely while that material was being played that the young man covered his ears, in a reaction that did not go unnoticed by those present.
During the hearing, Rosa—wearing the brown prison uniform—mostly kept her head down and stared at the floor.
The hearing marked a pivotal moment in the judicial process, as Judge Richard Hersch of the Miami-Dade Circuit Court decided that Rosa's confession can be used as evidence before the jury during the trial.
This is a decision that strengthens the prosecution's strategy and will be central when the case reaches the deliberation stage.
A confession that will reach the jury
During the second day of hearings devoted to analyzing the validity of the minor's statements, the court heard the testimony of Detective Joseph Elosegui, the Hialeah police officer who led the initial interrogation following the crime that occurred on October 12, 2023.
According to Elosegui's statement to the court, Derek—who is currently 15 years old and was 13 at the time of the crime—recounted the events "calmly," without displaying any visible signs of distress or emotional upheaval.
The detective stated that the teenager began to provide details about the crime voluntarily and that it was not necessary to confront him with evidence to obtain the confession.
The call to 911, a key piece for the prosecution
The prosecution insisted that Derek's behavior during the 911 call demonstrates that he fully understood what was happening.
According to the prosecutors, the teenager followed clear instructions from the operator, expressed concern for his own safety, and demonstrated control of the situation.
During the hearing, one of the prosecutors highlighted a specific moment from the audio:
"His response was: I'm fine. He said he was fine when they asked him. He didn't say 'help me', he didn't indicate that he was distressed, that there was a problem, that he didn't know what was happening. He didn't ask about his parents or where he was. His first response was: I'm fine. And that, more than anything else, clearly reflects his mental state."
For the State, that exchange demonstrates that Rosa was aware, oriented, and fully in command of her faculties at the time of speaking with the authorities.
The judge ultimately determined that those statements meet the legal requirements and may be presented to the jury during the trial, which is scheduled to begin at the end of January.
The crime that shocked Hialeah
According to the police and the prosecutor's office, Derek Rosa stabbed his mother, Irina García, 39 years old, in the family home in Hialeah.
Authorities claim that the teenager attacked her while she was sleeping, inflicting 46 stab wounds with a kitchen knife.
In the house was also the victim's youngest daughter, a baby just two weeks old, who was sleeping in her crib and was not injured.
The debate about his mental capacity
The defense, led by attorney Dayliset Rielo, sought to exclude the confession, arguing that the minor did not possess the maturity or capacity necessary to fully understand their constitutional rights.
Among the points raised before the court, the defense noted that Derek asked, “What is a lawyer?” before the questioning, that he did not know his address or phone number, and that he had difficulty reading the word “coercion” when signing the document waiving his right to remain silent.
They also argued that the teenager should have had a paternal figure present during the interrogation.
Moreover, the lawyers recalled that Rosa has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADHD) and is on the autism spectrum, asserting that her mental state was compromised.
According to the defense, during the 911 call, the young man expressed suicidal thoughts and, when asked why he killed his mother, he responded that he did not want to live anymore, which - in their view - demonstrates confusion and an inability to respond clearly and coherently.
The prosecution, for its part, countered those arguments by pointing out that, despite the diagnoses, academic evaluations indicate that Derek had a reading and comprehension level above average for his grade.
They also emphasized that the adolescent invoked their right to a lawyer at a later moment, which, according to the State, demonstrates that they did understand their rights.
Detective Elosegui stated in his testimony that he clearly explained the legal concepts and that the young man understood what was being said to him.
A decision that sets the course of the case
With Judge Richard Hersch's ruling, Derek Rosa's confession becomes one of the most compelling pieces of evidence that the prosecution will be able to present to the jury. However, the case remains surrounded by controversy and national media attention.
In recent hearings, dozens of people attended the court to show their support for the teenager, some wearing t-shirts with his name and image, and even praying within the courtroom.
His supporters insist on his innocence and argue that the judicial system has not adequately considered his age or mental condition.
Meanwhile, the prosecution and the defense continue to explore the possibility of a plea agreement before the trial begins, although it has not been confirmed whether those discussions have progressed.
A motion from the defense to delay the start of the proceedings, currently scheduled for the end of January, is also still pending.
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