The woman who died after being set on fire in a New York subway train earlier this month was a 57-year-old from New Jersey, New York City police announced Tuesday. The woman, Debrina Kawam, was from Toms River, a township on the Jersey Shore, according to the NYPD. Police initially said she was 61 years old. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Kawam had a "brief stint in our homeless shelter system," though he did not say when, the AP reports. Adams said he didn't know more than Kawam's name and New Jersey address, but he said authorities had been in contact with her next of kin.
"Hearts go out to the family, a horrific incident to have to live through," the mayor said. "It impacts on how New Yorkers feel. But it really reinforces what I've been saying: People should not be living on our subway system, they should be in a place of care. No matter where she lived that should not have happened." Authorities previously said they were using forensics and video surveillance as they struggled to identify the victim, who burned to death on a subway car in Brooklyn. "It's a priority for me, for my office, for the Police Department to identify this woman, so we can notify her family of what had happened to her," Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said last week, per the New York Times.
The man accused of lighting her on fire, Sebastian Zapeta, was taken into custody hours after police disseminated images of a suspect in the woman's death, the AP reports. He's since been indicted on murder and arson charges. Zapeta remains jailed. Federal immigration officials say the 33-year-old is from Guatemala and entered the US illegally. This story has been updated with new details. (More New York City subway stories.)
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