The attorney for a Hialeah teen who pleaded guilty to stabbing his mother to death posted a simple, handwritten message from the teen to her Instagram.
“Thank you to everyone who helped my case,” it said. It was signed with the date January 19, 2026 and his full name, Derek Steven Rosa.
Rosa faced a first-degree murder charge for the killing of his mother, Irina Garcia, who was found murdered in the family’s apartment. On Friday, he asked to change his plea and plead guilty to a murder charge in exchange for a 25-year prison sentence.
Dayliset Rielo, Rosa’s attorney, wrote a message in English and Spanish about the teen’s defense in his case.
“As counsel, we have led this case with purpose, determination and unwavering legal authority, and the record speaks undeniably for itself – louder than any rumor or headline. This is not a media spectacle, nor a story for public consumption – it is about the life of a child and his family, and that truth requires dignity, care and accountability. Due process is non-negotiable; it is the fundamental backbone of our justice system, and I will defend it without apology and without backing down, regardless of pressure or the public. For now, this is the last statement I will make on this page about Derek Rosa, the remainder of this story, including future statements, will be shared with Derek and his family when they are ready and determine this is the right time.
Rosa, now 15, was just 13 when he was arrested for the murder of Garcia, who police said was stabbed more than 40 times on Oct. 12, 2023.
A baby monitor appeared to capture Rosa standing on top of his mother. He then called 911 and sat down with police to make a confession.
“I’m sorry,” Rosa told his family in the courtroom the day he pleaded guilty.
In a statement, Miami-Dade County State’s Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said:
“With today’s guilty plea, Derek Rosa admitted what he previously told a 911 operator and what he confessed to police detectives, namely that he killed his mother. The pain Irina Garcia suffered from the 46 stab wounds could only have been surpassed by the knowledge that the person who killed 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 much of his own future.”
In addition to the settlement, Rosa was also ordered to stay away from his stepfather and sister.
An intense new video shows the arrest of a Hialeah teen who admitted to brutally stabbing his mother to death in their apartment in 2023. The footage obtained by NBC6 on Tuesday shows a then 13-year-old Derek Rosa coming out of the apartment with his hands up on October 12, 2023.
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