Cristian Fernandez, who at 13 went to prison for killing his half brother, is scheduled to be released from the Department of Juvenile Justice on Monday after serving seven years, according to media reports.
Fernandez was initially slated to be released on his 19th birthday on Sunday.
Court documents obtained by First Coast News show that his release date has now been scheduled for Monday, Jan. 15.
He pleaded guilty in 2013 to manslaughter and aggravated battery in connection to the March 2011 death of his 2-year-old half brother, David Galarraga, according to previous coverage by our partners at the Florida Times-Union.
He was arrested in 2011, meaning he has served seven years for manslaughter.
Galarraga died from head injuries he suffered when Fernandez slammed him into a bookshelf in their apartment, according to the Times-Union.
After being released, Fernandez will serve eight years of probation for the aggravated battery charge. He must stay away from any siblings he has -- he has a sister and another half brother -- unless they wish to meet him.
He will also not be allowed to spend any unsupervised time with anyone under the age of 16 unless it is approved by his probation officer.
Fernandez also will be required to seek employment once he is eligible.
For the probation, if he follows the conditions it will be terminated after five years. If the probation is violated, he will be sentenced as an adult to a time period related to the crime, according to the Times-Union.
The plea agreement for Fernandez came less than a month before his first-degree murder trial was to commence.
Fernandez was initially charged with aggravated child abuse and was subsequently indicted by a grand jury in June 2011 on a first-degree murder charge.
Then-State Attorney Angela Corey was adamant about pursuing the murder charge at the time the trial was on the table, according to previous media coverage.
The defendant would have been facing up to life in prison if convicted as an adult at the trial.
Fernandez’s mother, Biannela Susana, received no prison time for her alleged role in the young boy’s death, according to the Times-Union.
She was initially sentenced to 10 years in prison, but a judge credited her for two years, four months of time served in jail. A judge then suspended her sentence to probation.
Susana told investigators she left David alone with Fernandez and a younger sister. She then waited eight hours to get David medical help after finding him injured, according to the Times-Union. The boy died after being taken to the hospital.
The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice would not confirm Monday that Fernandez is still slated to be released on Sunday.