Brooklyn woman accused of mowing down mom, 3 kids faces arraignment

The 32-year-old Brooklyn woman accused of speeding into a family crossing the street, killing a mother and two daughters and leaving a 4-year-old fighting for life, faced a judge for the first time Thursday, officials say.

Miriam Yarimi is facing charges of manslaughter, criminal negligent homicide, assault, reckless driving, failing to yield right on a red light, speeding and driving on a suspended license in Saturday's deadly crash, which happened as families were out enjoying the good weather.

She did not enter a plea from the hospital on Thursday and was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.

Investigators said Yarimi was behind the wheel of the blue Audi sedan that barreled through the Midwood intersection and struck 34-year-old Natasha Saada and her three kids. The daughters who died were 5 and 8 years old. The 4-year-old son was being treated for serious injuries.

Their father had supposedly been at home with another baby when the accident happened.

Police allege that Yarimi was driving northbound on Ocean Parkway when she struck the rear bumper of a Toyota Camry turning right onto the parkway from Quentin Road. Yarimi apparently lost control of her car and crashed into the pedestrians before flipping the sedan and landing on its roof.

Information on her attorney wasn't immediately clear. While being taken into custody, prosecutors told the judge Yarimi made several strange statements to police. They allege she said "I didn't want to kill anyone...show me the proof. Why am I being arrested? Where's my daughter? I have the devil in my eyes...I need to scan my eyes."

She also said "people are out to get me...I was raped by a cop when I was 14. I didn't kill anyone, takes the cuffs off. I want my lawyer."

Another hearing is scheduled for Friday. The judge ordered Yarimi remain in custody at the hospital.

One witness recalled seeing bodies all over the ground after she and her father, who is an EMT, ran to offer help.

"They were kids and there was one of them was face down and one facing up," the woman said. "They crowded around them, they tried to give CPR to one of them."

"I will call it like it is, this was a horrific tragedy caused by someone who shouldn't have been on the road," Tisch said at a press conference four hours after the crash.

Transportation Alternatives released a statement condemning the Audi driver's record and urging action by New York lawmakers to pass legislation in Albany that would install speed limiters on vehicles "of the most reckless repeat speeders."

The organization said the woman "was driving while on a suspended license, and the Audi she was driving has more than 90 tickets, including more than 13 school zone speeding tickets last year.” She had racked up thousands of dollars in fines.

Mayor Eric Adams joined top NYPD brass for the press conference.

“To see a mother and her two children lost to a vehicle crash is extremely concerning and painful," Adams said.

Due to a collision investigation at Quentin Road and Ocean Parkway in the @NYPD61pct, there will be road closures. Please plan accordingly if you're traveling in the area. pic.twitter.com/YXh3fTedGE

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) March 29, 2025