A New York City wigmaker has been handed a surprisingly light prison sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter for a horrific crash that killed a mother and her two young daughters.
Miriam Yarimi, 33, received a term of three to nine years behind bars from Judge Danny Chen. This deal was offered against the strong objections of Brooklyn prosecutors, who had been seeking a maximum sentence of 15 years.
A Deadly Day on Ocean Parkway
The tragic incident occurred on March 29. Authorities state that Yarimi was driving her Audi A3 at nearly three times the speed limit, running multiple red lights on Ocean Parkway. Data from her car's black box revealed the gas pedal was pressed to the floor, with no attempt to brake.
Her vehicle collided with a Toyota Camry being used as an Uber, which then sent her car careening into the Saada family as they were crossing the road. Natasha Saada, 34, and her daughters, eight-year-old Diana and five-year-old Deborah, were killed. Her four-year-old son, Philip, was rushed to hospital with critical injuries, including skull fractures and a brain bleed.
The crash also caused injuries to others, including the Uber driver, a mother and her three children inside that vehicle, and the driver of another car that flipped over.
A Pattern of Recklessness and Bizarre Behaviour
At the scene, Yarimi's behaviour was reportedly volatile. She had to be forcibly removed from her car by firefighters and then verbally abused police officers. She allegedly told them, "What the f*** is taking so long. Motherf***er, get me the f*** out of here."
She later claimed she was "possessed" and said she "had the devil" in her eye, demanding a medical work-up. While in custody, she insisted she "didn't kill anyone" and refused to take a breathalyser test, expressing paranoia about her DNA.
This was not an isolated incident of poor judgement. At the time of the crash, Yarimi was driving with a suspended license. Her record included a staggering 93 traffic violations, 20 speeding tickets, and $10,000 in unpaid fines. These included tickets for speeding in school zones and running red lights.
Controversial Sentence and Aftermath
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez acknowledged the proposed sentence fell short of what his office sought but stated it would still send a "clear message that reckless driving that ends in tragedy will be met with serious penalties."
Prosecutors plan to submit a formal letter to the judge arguing for a longer sentence ahead of Yarimi's final sentencing on Wednesday. They emphasised that Yarimi's history of violations made it "very clear" she should not have been on the road.
Yarimi's attorney, Joe Amsel, has questioned whether his client was properly notified of her license suspension and urged the public to withhold judgement.
The case has drawn further attention due to Yarimi's social media presence, where she posted about her glamorous life alongside paranoid conspiracy theories. A childhood friend described her as having a history of unstable behaviour, swinging between religious devotion and breaking religious rules.
This is also not her first alleged violent offence; her landlord recently filed an eviction petition claiming she attacked a neighbour's door with a hammer.
