A woman who died after being set on fire on the New York City subway earlier this month was identified as Debrina Kawam, 57, of Toms River, New Jersey, the New York medical examiner’s office said on Tuesday.
Kawam was identified through fingerprint analysis and her death from thermal and inhalation injuries was ruled a homicide, said Julie Bolcer, a spokeswoman for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Kawam “had a brief stint in our homeless shelter system,” without giving further details.
Sebastian Zapeta, a 33-year-old Guatemalan citizen, was charged with murder and arson after allegedly lighting Kawam on fire and watching her burn to death at a subway station.
Zapeta was arrested about six hours after police say he used a lighter to ignite the clothes of Kawam who appeared to be dozing on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue stop in Brooklyn.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/woman-burned-death-new-york-subway-identified-2024-12-31/
