DEBRINA KAWAM: Photo from 1985 Passaic Valley High School yearbook

The woman who was tragically burned alive on a New York City subway has been identified as Debrina Kawam, a 61-year-old from Toms River, New Jersey.

The incident occurred on December 22, 2024, on a stationary F train at the Coney Island-Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn. Sebastian Zapeta-Calil, a 33-year-old undocumented migrant from Guatemala, has been charged with murder and arson in connection with this horrific attack.

Zapeta-Calil was apprehended later the same day after images from police body cameras helped identify him.

The crime has sparked discussions about subway safety, homelessness, and the broader implications of such violent acts in public spaces.