Son, 13, Accused of Stabbing His Sleeping Mom 46 Times Texted Friend Photo of Corpse, Bloody Selfie: Court Doc

A Florida teenager charged with murdering his mother allegedly photographed her body and sent the images to a friend shortly after the killing, according to prosecutors.

Derek Rosa was 13 when he is accused of stabbing his 39-year-old mother, Irina Garcia, 46 times while she slept in their Hialeah apartment on Oct. 12, 2023. The allegations were outlined in a motion filed by the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.

The filing claims Rosa documented the attack and discussed it with at least one friend before calling 911.

“Shortly thereafter, the Defendant photographed his mother’s body in a pool of blood, along with a handgun. The Defendant also took a ‘selfie’ with his hand covered in blood,” prosecutors wrote.

Less than 10 minutes later, Rosa allegedly began calling a friend in another state. During the first call, he reportedly said he planned to send photos and asked the friend for their reaction.

According to the motion, Rosa then sent images of his mother’s body, a gun, and his blood-covered hand. The friend initially believed it was some kind of joke, but once he realized the photos were real, he “alternated between shock and disbelief,” prosecutors stated.

The date of the stabbing appears to hold significance, prosecutors argue. They claim Rosa was fascinated by Jason Voorhees, the hockey-masked killer from the Friday the 13th horror franchise, and had previously told friends that he planned to dress as Jason for Halloween. The attack took place shortly before midnight.

Rosa himself called 911 to report the killing, allegedly confessing and describing what he had done. When police arrived, they reported finding bloody footprints believed to match Rosa’s leading from the bedroom to the front door.

Prosecutors filed the new motion in response to a defense effort seeking discovery that suggests Garcia’s husband, Frank Ramos, should be considered an alternative suspect. Authorities maintain that Ramos was in Georgia at the time of the killing.

A newborn baby — Rosa’s half-sister — was asleep in the same room as Garcia during the attack but was not harmed.

Rosa has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder. A hearing regarding the defense request to present the husband as an alternate suspect is expected later this month.