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New police videos released by Telemundo 51 show the reaction of Derek Rosa's father at the moment when detectives informed him that his son was a "person of interest" in the investigation into the death of his mother, Irina García, which occurred in Hialeah in 2023.
The recordings, released after the conclusion of the judicial process, capture the interviews conducted by officials with the father, José Antonio Rosa, and the stepfather, Frank Ramos, as part of the criminal investigation.
Rosa, who initially was unaware that Irina had passed away, was visibly shocked when the detectives confirmed that the victim had been stabbed and that Derek was a suspect.
"There’s no way, Derek loved his mother to death," Rosa exclaimed in English, incredulous at the revelation.
He described his son as a good, loving, and intelligent young man, and assured that he was happy about the birth of his little sister. "He didn't want to leave his mother's bed in the hospital. He was very happy about that."
Regarding Derek's knowledge of weapons, the man admitted to having talked to him about safety, but clarified: "He knows more about weapons from those video games than from anyone who has taught him."
The stepfather Frank Ramos was also interviewed by the authorities.
Ramos explained that at the time of the crime he was out of Florida transporting cargo, but he was in communication with his wife through video calls and a home security system. He noticed that Derek had left the apartment and heard part of the 911 call.
"I can't understand how he did that to his mother. Honestly, I can't. It's something I just can't believe," she stated, before describing the bond between mother and son as "unconditional, the most loving in the world."
The stepfather noted that the only thing he observed was that Derek had "a lot of obsession with guns," but he considered it a normal interest for a teenager.
The release of the videos comes weeks after unreleased photos of the crime scene revealed the interior of the apartment where the incident took place: a bloody knife with a broken tip, live bullets next to a shooting target, and nearly 20 bloodstains leading towards the bathroom.
The images also displayed the contrast between a typical teenager's room—decorated with diplomas, Mario Bros and Rick and Morty memorabilia, and a gun constructed from Lego pieces—and the forensic evidence. The spilled blood reached the base of the crib where Derek's newborn sister, just 14 days old, slept.
Derek Rosa was 13 years old when he committed the crime on October 12, 2023, by stabbing his mother more than 40 times while she slept. He called 911 himself to confess to the act.
On January 16, 2026, just days before the trial began, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison plus 20 years of probation by Judge Richard Hersch.
He is currently serving his sentence at the Suwannee Correctional Institution in northern Florida, with an estimated release date of October 5, 2048. The judge also ordered that upon his release from prison, he shall have no contact with his stepfather or his younger sister.
The father of Derek attended every hearing during the two years of the process and has publicly stated that he cannot understand what happened: "I really don’t know all the details and how something like this could happen. There’s really no explanation."
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