In the aftermath of a catastrophic Brooklyn car crash that left a mother and her two young daughters dead, a disturbing new dimension to the story has emerged. The driver, Miriam Yarimi, a 35-year-old wigmaker from Brooklyn, reportedly told first responders that she was “possessed” and “had the devil in me,” according to law enforcement sources who spoke to The New York Post.

Yarimi, whose black Audi A4 bore the vanity plate “WIGM8KER,” was driving with a suspended license when she allegedly lost control of her vehicle Saturday afternoon in the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Gravesend, killing 32-year-old Natasha Saada and her daughters, Dina (7) and Devorah (5). The family had just left Shabbat services and was crossing Ocean Parkway when tragedy struck.

According to the information provided in The New York Post report, members of the Hatzolah Jewish ambulance service arrived first at the scene and found Yarimi trapped inside her overturned Audi. Rather than providing clear answers, she began to ramble incoherently, claiming she was possessed and making bizarre references to the CIA, sources said. Authorities have since transferred her to the prison ward at Bellevue Hospital, where she is undergoing a psychiatric evaluation before arraignment.

Yarimi’s refusal to speak to police — other than to request a lawyer — has only intensified scrutiny around her mental state and the conditions that led to Saturday’s horrifying crash. What is already known paints a picture of a deeply troubled individual with a staggering history of traffic violations and apparent signs of deteriorating mental health.

On Sunday evening, hundreds gathered at Shomrei Hadas Chapels in Borough Park to mourn the Saada family. Inside the funeral hall, women wept openly while rabbis spoke of Natasha Saada’s deepening spirituality, her recent commitment to Torah study, and her love for her children. One rabbi, affiliated with the girls’ school, shared how Natasha had begun attending religious classes in recent months to strengthen her ruchnius, or spiritual growth.

The grief was palpable as a long procession followed an ambulance east down 38th Street, where the bodies were transported ahead of burial in Israel. Natasha’s father will accompany the remains overseas, while her husband remains in Brooklyn to sit shiva, the traditional Jewish mourning period, and care for the couple’s infant child and their critically injured 4-year-old son, Pinchas Rafael, who remains hospitalized at Maimonides Hospital in Borough Park.

June Aboksis, a close family friend, spoke emotionally to The New York Times saying, “They’re not holding up. She was a wonderful mother. This affects our whole community.” Her voice broke as she added, “How do you tell children that two classmates won’t be showing up to school tomorrow?”

Adding to the anger and anguish surrounding the tragedy is Yarimi’s shocking driving record, which includes more than 93 traffic violations and over $10,000 in fines, according to online records reviewed by The New York Times.  Among those citations are 20 speeding tickets, five red-light violations, and numerous infractions for unsafe driving behavior, including a March 16 citation for speeding through a Brooklyn school zone.

Since August 2023 alone, her vehicle had triggered 20 speed cameras, suggesting a dangerous pattern of reckless driving that was either unnoticed or unaddressed by New York City traffic enforcement. Advocates for stricter road safety regulations argue that Yarimi should have long ago been barred from driving — a view reinforced by the devastating consequences of her alleged actions.

Dashcam footage shared on social media and reviewed by authorities shows the Audi smashing into an Uber vehicle before hurtling into a crosswalk where Natasha and her children were walking. The Audi, flipped on its side, mowed down the family and several others. The crash site quickly turned into a scene of horror as emergency crews arrived to treat multiple victims.

Yarimi’s estranged husband declined to comment when reached by The New York Post on Sunday. Meanwhile, furniture, including beds, was removed from the Saada family home to accommodate the many mourners expected to pay respects during the shiva, The New York Post reported.

As mourners grieve and a family is left shattered, the Orthodox Jewish community of Brooklyn is demanding answers and justice. Why, they ask, was Yarimi — with her suspended license and extensive record — still on the road? Why did it take such a tragedy for authorities to act?

Mayor Eric Adams, who attended the funeral service, has vowed a full investigation, as was reported by The New York Post. Yet, for many, the damage is already irreversible. A mother and two daughters are gone, a child clings to life in a hospital bed, and an entire neighborhood has been plunged into mourning — and in fear that such a tragedy could happen again.

The bizarre and chilling remarks made by Yarimi — that she was “possessed” and pursued by the CIA — have added another layer of horror to an already devastating incident. But as the legal proceedings begin and a psychiatric evaluation continues, the city must confront not only Yarimi’s individual culpability but the broader systemic failures that allowed her to stay behind the wheel.

This tragedy is not just a moment of mourning but a wake-up call for enforcement, accountability, and the protection of innocent lives on New York’s street