NEW YORK (AP) — The woman who died after being burned on a New York subway train a few days ago was called Debrina Kawam, she was 57 years old and lived in Toms River, New Jersey, the city police announced Tuesday.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams added that Kawam had a “brief stay in our homeless shelter system,” although he did not specify when.
It appears that Kawam recently moved to New York and had a very brief interaction with the city’s public assistance services, according to the New York City Department of Homeless Services.
The man accused of setting it on fire on December 22, Sebastian Zapeta, 33, was arrested hours after the attack that occurred the morning of that day on a train stopped in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The suspect has been charged with murder and arson.
Identifying the victim proved to be a challenge, and authorities had said Friday that they were still using forensic science and surveillance video to track her down.
Adams claimed in an unrelated news conference Tuesday that he knew nothing more than Kawam’s name and his address in New Jersey, but said authorities had been in contact with his next of kin.
“Our hearts go out to the family, it’s a horrible incident,” Adams said. “It affects how New Yorkers feel. But it really reinforces what I’ve been saying: people shouldn’t live in the subway, they should be somewhere with care. “No matter where I lived, that shouldn’t have happened.”
In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for the New York City Department of Social Services said the city’s homeless agency worked with partners to find any information they could about the victim’s family.
Authorities have said they do not believe Kawam and Zapeta knew each other. Federal immigration officials say Zapeta is originally from Guatemala and entered the United States illegally. The address police gave him matches a shelter that provides housing and support for people with substance abuse problems.
Prosecutors say both Kawam and Zapeta were on the F train parked at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station when Zapeta approached Kawam, who was asleep, and set her clothes on fire. Then he fanned the flames with a shirt, and sat on a bench on the platform to watch while it burned, they added.
Kawam was pronounced dead at the scene.
Zapeta has not yet given a statement in the case and remains incarcerated. He was not present at a court hearing Friday where his indictment was announced. His lawyer declined to comment afterward.
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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.
This article was published by AP News on 2024-12-31 21:00:00
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