A Hialeah 13-year-old confessed to stabbing his mother over 40 times, searched for information about killing people with knives and admitted to the brutal killing to investigators, a detective testified at a hearing for the teen on Thursday.
The confession of Derek Rosa was played in court during the testimony of Hialeah Det. Joseph Elosegui at a hearing to determine whether the 13-year-old will remain in an adult jail or be moved back to a juvenile detention center while he awaits trial.
Rosa became emotional, putting his head down and appearing to cry, as his confession to investigators was played in court.
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
"I woke up, I grabbed one of the kitchen knives and then I went to her room, and then," he's heard saying, trailing off.
"It's ok, you can say it," a detective tells him.
"I killed her," Rosa replies.
Local
Rosa is being charged as an adult in the Oct. 12 killing of his mother, 39-year-old Irina Garcia.
During his testimony Thursday, Elosegui said Rosa cursed at his mother in Spanish then stabbed her over 40 times.
Afterwards, he called an online friend and sent the friend three photos, including two of his mother and a selfie, Elosegui said.
The selfie, previously released by prosecutors, shows Rosa posing with what appears to be blood on his hands.
Two other photos captured from a nearby baby monitor show Garcia holding her newborn daughter, and then her son, Rosa, later standing over her the night of the killing. Another photo showed a pink-handled kitchen knife with blood on it.
Elosegui said Rosa had done several online searches that included "What is the best place to stab someone?" and "Is a small knife good for killing?" and "Is it easier to kill someone with a small knife?" and "Can a knife cut through bone?"
Rosa, an 8th grader at iMater Academy in Hialeah, was arrested after calling 911 shortly after the killing at an apartment complex at 211 West 79th Place.
When officers arrived, they found the 39-year-old woman dead in her bedroom next to a crib with her 14-day-old baby who was unharmed.
Rosa is currently being held at the Metro West Detention Center but his attorneys have been seeking to have him moved back to a juvenile detention center, claiming his rights are being violated inside Metro West.
Prosecutors are against moving him to juvenile detention because they say Rosa is a major threat and needs to be treated as an adult prisoner.
Judge Richard Hersch was expected to hear more testimony Friday before making a decision about Rosa's detention.
