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The guilty plea of Derek Rosa, the teenager accused of murdering his mother in Hialeah in October 2023, formally concluded this Friday one of the most shocking judicial chapters in South Florida in recent years.
However, far from dispelling the questions, the case once again shakes public opinion following the message released by her defense attorney, Dayliset Rielo, a text filled with personal references, expressions of gratitude, moral reflections, and a final phrase that has garnered particular attention: “In due time, they will find answers.”
Derek Rosa, of Cuban origin and currently 15 years old, pleaded guilty this Friday to having stabbed his mother, Irina García, to death inside their family home.
In exchange for pleading guilty to a second-degree homicide charge, the teenager accepted a 25-year prison sentence, as reported by Telemundo 51.
During the hearing, Judge Richard Hersch asked him if he agreed with the statement. In response to the minor's affirmative answer, the magistrate proceeded to read the terms of the agreement reached with the prosecution.
At the end of the process, when she was given the opportunity to address the court, Rosa barely said a brief sentence: "I'm sorry, that's all your honor."
The court's decision came after, in a pretrial hearing, a judge allowed the Miami-Dade County prosecution to use as evidence the initial confession that the teenager gave to the police after the crime, a crucial recording that would have shaped the course of the case.
The message that left more questions than answers
Hours after the hearing, attorney Dayliset Rielo spread a message that quickly became the new focal point of the case.
Unlike standard legal statements, the text was emotional, intimate, and left open the possibility that there may still be undisclosed aspects of the process.
“I wanted to organize my thoughts, without letting today pass by" , with this introductory phrase, Rielo reveals that the message comes from a personal, almost confessional place. He is not speaking as just another legal operator, but as someone who has undergone an emotionally exhausting process.
"First of all, I thank God for keeping me healthy, strong, and professional throughout this long and complex process. This journey has been deeply tortuous, both professionally and personally," he added.
The lawyer places her experience at the center of her speech. She speaks of "strength," "professionalism," and "torture" as components of a journey that has been not only professional but also human and spiritual. She suggests that the case has impacted her life beyond the legal realm.
"I sincerely thank my family for their constant support of my career and for encouraging my vocation. To the colleagues who have always supported me, thank you very much. I also extend my gratitude to everyone who showed empathy in this very sad case and offered their unconditional support. May God always protect you," he added.
"Similarly, I ask for blessings for those who did not show empathy, and I pray to God that they never face a situation in which they require the assistance of a criminal lawyer. But, if that moment were to come, they can be assured that I would represent them with the same professionalism and tenacity that characterize me in every case", he added sternly.
Rielo also thanked Derek himself and the Rosa-García family for the trust they placed in her, and promised to keep them in her prayers.
Finally, the closing that everyone's talking about.
"From the beginning, I have maintained that in processes of this nature, there are no winners. Nevertheless, believe me: in due time you will find answers to what many are questioning today."
Beyond the symbolism, it suggests that there are elements of the case that have yet to come to light, or that cannot be understood in the present. It's the kind of phrase that keeps the attention alive even after the judicial closure.
The county prosecutor Katherine Fernández Rundle issued a blunt statement: “The conclusion of this criminal case does not lessen the profound tragedy of Derek's actions. When he took the life of his mother, he also stole a large part of his own future.”
The crime that shocked Hialeah
Derek Rosa was only 13 years old when, on the early morning of October 12, 2023, he stabbed his mother more than 40 times while she was sleeping. Also in the bed was a 14-day-old baby, the younger brother's sister, whom he did not harm.
After committing the crime, Rosa called 911 and confessed what happened. According to the prosecution, the subsequent interview was conducted without coercion and with full awareness of her words.
The defense, for its part, insisted for months that the teenager suffered from ADHD and was on the autism spectrum.
They argued that she was not in a condition to understand either the act or its consequences. They also recalled that in the 911 call, Rosa expressed suicidal thoughts:
“I didn’t want to continue living after what happened,” his lawyers stated, trying to portray his altered mental state.
With the guilty plea and the sentence of 25 years in prison, Derek Rosa's criminal proceedings formally conclude.
However, the story is not over for the community of Hialeah, nor for those who closely followed a case that transcended legal boundaries to touch on moral, familial, and social issues.
The message from the lawyer, with its almost spiritual structure and its suspenseful ending, leaves a mark that transcends the courts:
What unanswered questions remain? What did Dayliset Rielo really mean?
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