Family of teen charged in fatal stabbing at South Florida high school says it was self-defense

Mom defends Fla. teen charged in school stabbing

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The family of a 17-year-old charged in the fatal stabbing of another student at a South Florida high school says he was acting in self-defense.

Idalma Castresana, the mother of Andy Rodriguez, tells WPLG-TV that her son should not be called a killer because he was trying to defend himself.

Officials haven’t said what caused the fight between Rodriguez and 17-year-old Juan Carlos Rivera.

A police report shows both teens were walking down a hallway Tuesday at Coral Gables Senior High School when they intentionally bumped into each other and began to fight. The report says at some point, Rodriguez threw Rivera to the floor and stabbed him several times.

Castresana also says Rivera was choking her son and that’s what caused Rodriguez to stab his classmate.