“How Was He Allowed Back?” Family Demands Answers After NYC Subway Killing

The family of a New Jersey woman who was allegedly killed in a New York City subway attack is demanding answers about how the suspect was able to return to the United States after previously being deported.

Debrina Kawam, 57, was found fatally injured after police said she was allegedly set on fire while inside a stationary F train at the Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue station in Brooklyn on December 22, 2024.

The case has since become a flashpoint in the debate over immigration enforcement, public safety and the policies surrounding people who illegally reenter the United States after being deported.

The suspect, Sebastian Zapeta, a Guatemalan national, was previously deported from the United States in 2018, according to immigration officials. Authorities have said he later returned to the country at an unknown time and location.

Police allege that Zapeta approached Kawam while she was sitting on the subway and set her clothing on fire. Investigators said he then remained nearby as emergency personnel responded.

Kawam’s condition was so severe that authorities needed more than a week to officially identify her.

Zapeta has been charged with first-degree murder, multiple counts of second-degree murder and first-degree arson. He pleaded not guilty to the charges in January 2025.

But for Kawam’s family, the tragedy has raised another painful question:

How did a man who had already been deported manage to return to the United States?

In a statement read publicly by civil rights activist Rev. Kevin McCall outside Brooklyn Supreme Court, Kawam’s relatives questioned how Zapeta was able to reenter the country and eventually come into contact with their loved one.

The family said they wanted those responsible for immigration enforcement policies to explain how the situation was allowed to happen.

They also called for Zapeta to face the full consequences of the law and said they wanted him removed from the United States after the criminal proceedings.

The family’s comments have become part of a larger political argument over immigration enforcement, particularly after a series of violent crimes involving migrants became prominent in national political debate.

However, the legal case itself remains focused on the allegations against Zapeta. Prosecutors have accused him of intentionally killing Kawam, while Zapeta’s defense has pleaded not guilty.

According to court records and reporting at the time, Zapeta told detectives he had been drinking heavily and claimed he did not remember the attack. He nevertheless expressed regret during questioning, according to a transcript reported by Fox News.

The case has also renewed concerns about safety inside New York City’s subway system.

Kawam’s death shocked commuters and sparked calls for stronger security measures. Authorities subsequently increased police presence in parts of the subway system, even as officials noted that overall transit crime had declined in some categories.

Beyond the political debate, Kawam’s family and supporters have emphasized that she was more than the victim seen in disturbing headlines.

Friends and community leaders described her as a vibrant woman who had attended college, enjoyed poetry and makeup, and had once worked in the pharmaceutical industry. A memorial service in Brooklyn highlighted her life and the people who knew her before the tragedy.

Her story has also prompted questions about how vulnerable people are treated in New York City, including those experiencing homelessness and those who may rely on the subway system for shelter.

For her family, however, the central issue remains accountability.

They want to know how a person who had previously been removed from the country was able to return — and whether stronger enforcement could have prevented the tragedy.

The question has now become part of a much larger national conversation about immigration, deportation and public safety.

But as the criminal case continues, one fact remains at the center of the story: a 57-year-old woman lost her life, and her family is still demanding answers.

Source: Fox News, with additional reporting from CBS News, ABC News and Reuters.