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New York Police Identify Woman Who Died in Subway Train Fire | World News


Authorities have identified a woman who tragically passed away this month after being set ablaze inside a subway train in New York as 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, a resident of New Jersey.

Kawam was officially registered at an address in Toms River, New Jersey, as per the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Previously, officials had stated they were employing forensic techniques and video surveillance to determine the victim’s identity.

She burned to death while seemingly asleep in a Brooklyn subway car on Sunday, December 22.

Shortly after police released images of a suspect recognized by local high school students, a 33-year-old man named Sebastian Zapeta was taken into custody.

On Friday, Zapeta was charged with murder and arson and is currently being held in jail.

According to federal immigration authorities, the suspect is from Guatemala and is in the United States illegally.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated today that the victim had experienced a “brief stint in our homeless shelter system” at some point and that her next of kin had been contacted by authorities.

“Our hearts go out to the family; this is a horrific incident to endure,” Mr. Adams said during a news briefing addressing another issue.

“It affects how New Yorkers feel. This reinforces my message: People should not be living on our subway system; they should be provided with care. Regardless of where she lived, such a situation should never have occurred.”

Sebastian Zapeta, accused of setting a woman on fire inside a subway train, appears in court in New York, on Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. Pic: AP
Image:
Sebastian Zapeta appeared in court on Christmas Eve. Pic: AP

Prosecutors claim that Zapeta set Kawam on fire on a stationary F train at the Coney Island station in Brooklyn, used a shirt to fan the flames, and then sat on a nearby bench as he watched her burn.

She was declared dead at the scene.

“This was a heinous act against a vulnerable, sleeping woman on our subway,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated following the announcement of the charges.

Zapeta has not yet entered a plea regarding the charges.

He was apprehended just hours after Kawam’s death after police received a tip from high school students who recognized the suspect from the images released by law enforcement.



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