Police identify woman who was burned to death in NYC subway

A New Jersey woman, 57-year-old Debrina Kawam, was tragically burned to death while asleep on an F train in Brooklyn on December 22. The NYPD has identified the suspect as Sebastian Zapeta, 33, who is currently being held at Rikers Island until his indictment is unsealed on January 7. Zapeta allegedly set Kawam’s clothes on fire with a lighter and fanned the flames, causing her to become engulfed, before sitting on a platform bench and watching her burn. A group of teenagers recognized Zapeta from surveillance photos and called 911. Zapeta claimed he did not remember the incident due to being heavily intoxicated. The suspect’s address matched a shelter providing substance abuse support. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has promised serious consequences for this heinous act of violence. The Guardian Angels are set to resume patrols on NYC subway cars in response to the tragic incident. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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