On Thursday night, October 12, in Hialeah, Florida, a 13-year-old boy called 911 to admit he had fatally stabbed his mother while she slept. 

Responding authorities discovered the body of 39-year-old Irina Garcia next to a crib, in which a two-week-old baby, identified as the boy’s half-sister, was found unharmed.

The teen, identified as Derek Rosa, is an honor student attending a local middle school. 

Neighbors and local sources stated he had no history of mental health issues or police interventions at his home. The boy was known in the community for being helpful, mainly assisting his mother with tasks like carrying packages.

After the incident, it was reported that the boy took photographs of his deceased mother and shared them. The gravity of this discovery resulted in a three-day evaluation at a hospital.

Authorities and the community strive to understand what might have driven such actions from a young individual with no apparent prior issues. Derek now faces a second-degree murder charge, and there are ongoing discussions regarding whether he should be tried as a juvenile or an adult.