Police took over a week to publicly identify Debrina Kawam, 57, as the woman who tragically died in a New York subway train fire last month. However, within hours of her death on December 22, false information began circulating online. Some social media users baselessly claimed the victim was a 29-year-old named “Amelia Carter,” accompanied by an image of a young woman that experts believe might have been generated by artificial intelligence. The misinformation about the victim’s identity spread rapidly across various platforms, with many highlighting the immigration status of the man accused in Kawam’s death – identified as a Guatemalan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally. This false narrative accused the media of not naming the victim, described as a “beautiful young white woman.”
Nathan Walter, an associate professor at Northwestern University specializing in misinformation, described the false story as ideal for anti-immigration agendas, sparking a “framing war” while accurate information was still scarce. Misinformation about the victim’s identity gained traction quickly due to its alignment with certain biases and beliefs. The circulation of graphic footage depicting Kawam engulfed in flames further fueled curiosity about her identity. Despite the prompt arrest of suspect Sebastian Zapeta, details about the victim remained elusive as authorities worked to confirm her identity through forensic analysis and video surveillance.
In the absence of verified information, online users filled the void with fictitious claims about “Amelia Carter,” pushing for her name to be acknowledged by officials and the media. Some accounts falsely suggested she was traveling to visit her grandmother in Queens, despite the incident occurring at the opposite end of the subway line in Brooklyn. Comparisons were drawn to a previous tragic event involving the 2024 killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, which was exploited for political purposes during the presidential race in support of stricter border control.
As misinformation spread, a real person named Amelia Carter was mistakenly associated with the false claims and had to clarify her status online. Experts highlighted the dubious nature of the image circulated in these posts, pointing to possible AI generation due to its generic features and eye alignment. However, the poor quality of the image made proper analysis challenging. In an era driven by immediate answers, Michelle Ciulla Lipkin, executive director of the National Association for Media Literacy Education, emphasized the public’s impatience for uncertainty and the exploitation of this vulnerability by malicious actors promoting personal agendas.
Finally, authorities officially identified Debrina Kawam from New Jersey as the victim of the subway incident.
and had recently stayed in a New York homeless shelter after relocating to the city. Zapeta, residing at an address corresponding to a shelter offering housing and substance abuse assistance, has been charged with murder and arson, as per the prosecution. He has not yet entered a plea, and his legal representative has chosen not to provide a statement.
