The family of Derek Rosa, the Cuban teenager accused of murder his own mother in front of his newborn sister in an apartment Hialeahcontinues to support the minor to the maximum, for whom they ask the authorities for clemency.
The family’s most recent movement has been to send about twenty letters to the judge to try to reverse the court’s decision that the teenager be transferred from the adult prison where he is now – Metrowest – and be returned to the juvenile detention center.
“His mother, from heaven, would like him to be saved because mothers always forgive, and she loved her son”says a fragment of the letter from the maternal grandmother, Isabel Acosta, as revealed Telemundo 51.
“His mother went out of her way and took care of him with a lot of love. I still can’t figure out what happened to him to do that to his mother,” wrote the stepfather, one of those who also sent a letter to the judge.
“I am concerned that there may be emotional, physical intimidation or harassment in this facility. No matter how much correctional officers try, there are situations where children mix with adults and there are not many children their age here,” said the prison attorney. minor in statements to the aforementioned press outlet.
The entire family has totally disagreed with the presentation of the case made by the prosecution, which has accused the minor of first-degree murder.
“My grandson is the best child in the world”the minor’s maternal grandmother said in recent days, visibly affected, in statements to the local press at the end of a quick hearing this week in which the teenager’s lawyer made public her client’s declaration of not guilty.
“This is not Derek. He is a good, loving, loving boy… Nobody knows Derek like we know him and this is not Derek. He is not an adult at all, he is a child who still plays,” said another relative before the press gathered at the place.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for Nov. 9 because Judge Richard Hersch said he needed time to review the case.
In the quick hearing, in addition to to declare Derek Rosa ‘not guilty of first-degree murder’the lawyer filed a motion to request that the young man be transferred to the juvenile prison, since he is now in an isolated cell in Metrowest Detention Center.
The plea of ”not guilty” was given after a hearing held last week determined that Derek Rosa will be tried as an adult and will face a charge of first-degree murder.
On that occasion, the father explained to the judge that his son was a good boy to whom he taught values, that his brothers and the rest of his family love him and that he never had behavioral problems. He asked for a second chance for his son, who he said wanted to be an engineer in the Navy.
Despite the request for house arrest for the teenager, the judge determined that he remain in prison and that the right to bail was denied.
On the night of October 12, the teenager stabbed his mother to death while the woman was sleeping. He did it in front of his little sister, a 14-day-old baby, and then called the 911 linewhere he gave details of what happened inside the apartment, located at 211 West and 79 Place in Hialeah.
After the crime, Derek Rosa took photos of his mother’s body and sent them to a friend, as revealed by the police. She later told the same friend that he had killed her.
When the authorities arrived, the minor came out with his hands up. The body of her mother, Irina García, 39, lay stabbed next to the baby’s crib, which has now been left in the custody of the maternal grandmother.
“It is a very difficult thing to understand why these things happen. The boy has not said why he did it, the investigators cannot believe it, it is very sad for our community,” said Eddie Rodríguez, spokesperson for the Hialeah police.
