After the gruesome murder of his mother, a 13-year-old boy appeared in court today looking "confused" and "disoriented" as the judge decided to prosecute him as an adult.
Derek Rosa, once known as an honor roll student where he lives in Miami, is accused of killing his mother and sending photos of her corpse to his friends. The child's attorneys have entered a not-guilty plea but haven't shown any signs to indicate any kind of mental illness defense.
In October, Rosa called the police and reported just having killed his mother. His baby sister was sleeping nearby. He explained to the operator that he stabbed his mother while she slept. He then thought about killing himself, he said, but decided he "didn't want to."
READ MORE: North Korea accuses US of biochemical plot to assassinate Kim Jong-un
His mother, Irina Garcia, 39, gave birth to the baby two weeks before. The baby was found lying beside her dead body, unharmed. His family, including his grandmother, said they were "shocked" as Rosa is normally a "good kid." They said they could 'never imagine' a situation like this.
His lawyers are pushing the court to transfer the 13-year-old to a juvenile facility, as he's currently being held in a full adult penitentiary. A hearing on Friday will determine this issue.
For all the latest on news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US
Today's hearing also listened to arguments on whether the defendant's lawyers will be granted entrance to the apartment where the murder took place. The judge agreed, as long as officers remain posted outside. It's unclear what evidence the lawyers are looking for.
Rosa's neighbors were also stunned by the arrest. They reported that Rosa was generally a quiet kid, and never displayed any signs of violence.
Rosa's shocking case is just the latest in a series where young teens have engaged in knife violence. In North Carolina, a 15-year-old teen was fatally stabbed by a younger classmate inside a school fight during a wild fight caught on camera.
The horrific brawl broke out inside the gym at Southeast Raleigh High School in North Carolina on Monday at around 11 am. The fight shows two students face-to-face before a youngster in a black jacket hurls a punch at a student in a red jacket, who then responds with his punch.
The fight quickly spills into the gym as other students follow the chaotic scene. However, during the melee, one of the students appeared to stab a sharp object at two teens before fleeing the scene. A second student, 16, remains in hospital following a non-life-threatening stab wound, according to police.
The identities of the victims and suspects have not been released by authorities. The teenager accused of stabbing two of his classmates was arrested and charged with murder on a juvenile petition.
“Both victims were transported to an area hospital,” Raleigh police chief Estella Patterson said during a press conference. “Sadly one victim succumbed to his injuries. This is a very unfortunate incident that has occurred today,” she added. “One that is very disturbing to us.”