New York — A Brooklyn wig maker and social media influencer who raced through a red light and struck a mother and two children, killing them, was sentenced Wednesday to 3 to 9 years in prison.
Miriam Yaremi, 33, pleaded guilty last month in state court in Brooklyn to three counts of manslaughter in connection with the March incident in the borough’s Midwood neighborhood.
Jaremi cried during her sentencing and told Judge Danny Chun: “I take full responsibility for my actions.”
The prosecution had recommended imprisonment for a maximum of 5 to 15 years.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Natasha Saadeh, 34, was holding hands with her three children, Diana, 8, Deborah, 5, and Philip, 4, while crossing Ocean Parkway after Saturday’s mass.
Natasha, Diana and Deborah were killed. Philip was seriously injured.
Gonzalez said Yareme sped through the intersection at nearly 70 mph (113 km/h) and crashed her luxury Audi sedan into a turning Toyota before crashing into Sada and her children. The vehicle with the license plate WIGM8KER overturned and came to a stop about 130 feet (40 m) away.
The posted speed limit is 25 mph (40 km/h). Gonzalez said there was no indication that Yeremi, who was driving on a suspended license, tried to brake.
“This defendant is a reckless driver who only cared about herself when she raced through the streets of Brooklyn and wiped out nearly an entire family,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
“I feel so much sadness, pain, remorse and remorse in my heart for causing such an unspeakable tragedy,” Al-Yarimi told the judge on Wednesday, reading from prepared remarks. “I hope and pray that my guilty plea, as well as my sentence here today, will provide some degree of closure to the victims and their family members for all the pain and suffering caused by my actions.”
Police said Al-Yarimi had to be extricated from her car.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams described the incident as a “tragic accident of Shakespearean proportions.”
“This is deeply troubling and distressing, not just for New York City in general, but specifically for a very tight-knit community,” Adams said at the time. “A mother who went for a simple walk on a sunny day was hit and killed. While we pray for their family and this entire community, the city mourns this loss.”