The Brooklyn courtroom was silent when 32-year-old Miriam Yarimi stood before the judge on Wednesday. Just months earlier, Yarimi admitted responsibility for the horrific crash that killed Natasha Saada, 33, and her two daughters, Diana, 7, and Deborah, 5, as the family walked home from Shabbat services in Gravesend. She could have faced as many as 15 years in state prison for the collision.

Instead, Judge Danny Chun handed down a 3-to-9 year sentence — instantly igniting outrage from the victims’ family, igniting debate among public-safety advocates, and leaving many New Yorkers questioning how drivers with dozens of violations remain on the road.

For the Saada family, the sentence felt profoundly inadequate.
For Yarimi, it was a moment met with tears — and thanks.

For the city, the tragedy has become a rallying cry for stronger penalties for chronic speeding and reckless driving.

And for lawmakers, it has renewed urgency around so-called “super speeder” laws that could change the way New York handles repeat offenders behind the wheel.

The Crash That Shattered a Family and Shocked a Community

On March 29, 2024, Natasha Saada and her three young children were crossing at a Gravesend intersection when, according to police, Yarimi’s Audi A4 accelerated through at more than twice the posted 25-mph limit.
The vehicle struck the family with catastrophic force, killing Natasha and her two daughters and injuring her 4-year-old son.

Investigators say the crash also damaged a nearby rideshare vehicle and was captured on surveillance cameras in footage described by first responders as devastating.

Yarimi — whose driving record included over 90 violations, among them 18 speeding tickets in school zones in the previous year alone — was arrested at the scene. According to law enforcement sources, she made confused statements, told officers she felt “possessed,” and admitted to driving with a suspended license.

In October, she pleaded guilty to charges including operating a vehicle under the influence and reckless driving that resulted in multiple fatalities.

A Sentence That Sparked Immediate Anger and Deep Heartache

Prosecutors had sought a sentence significantly closer to the maximum allowed under law. But Judge Chun cited longstanding judicial principles in explaining his decision.

“When a defendant chooses to plead guilty and accept responsibility, I do not generally impose the maximum sentence,” he told the courtroom Wednesday.

Instead of a possible 15-year term, Yarimi received 3 to 9 years, meaning she could be eligible for release in as little as three years with credit for good behavior.

Outside the courtroom, attorney Herschel Kulefsky, who represents the Saada family, said the relatives were “deeply disappointed — or outraged would be a better word.”

“Even the maximum sentence probably would not be sufficient in this case,” Kulefsky said. “But this is the bare minimum allowed by the deal.”

The family chose not to attend the sentencing.
“They didn’t want to look at her,” their attorney added.

Yet even through their grief, Natasha’s husband, Sidney Saada, responded to inquiries with unexpected grace.

In a text message shared with The Post, he wrote:

“I believe this all was an act from God and we accept it with grace.
We harbor no hatred nor anger toward her or her family.”

He asked for privacy as the family continues to mourn.

Yarimi’s Tearful Apology — and Thanks to the Judge

In court, a visibly emotional Yarimi read a statement expressing remorse.

“I’d like to thank Judge Chun for this gracious offer,” she said through tears. “I’ll have to live with this for the rest of my life. I think about the victims every day. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about what I did.”

Her attorney, Joseph Amsel, urged the public to see the human being behind the headlines, saying:

“Individuals should not be judged based on their worst moments. People are human beings. Yarimi is a human being, and she has a story and a life — quite frankly, a tragic story. That’s not to say anything that happened here is diminished. But people have stories.”

His comments reflected the defense’s broader argument: that Yarimi’s mental-health challenges, personal history, and remorse were all considerations when negotiating the plea.

Judge Chun noted he had originally offered a 3.5-to-10 year term but reduced it slightly “after getting further mitigating reports,” though he did not specify their contents.

Why Did a Driver With 90 Violations Still Have a Car?

A central question now being raised citywide is how a driver with Yarimi’s record remained legally able to access a vehicle at all.

Records show she had:

over 90 prior driving violations

18 school-zone speeding tickets in 2023

a suspended license at the time of the crash

The case has become a lightning rod for transportation-safety organizations demanding urgent legislative reform.

“This family should be safe at home tonight,” said Ben Furnas, executive director of Transportation Alternatives. “Instead, they were killed by a repeat dangerous driver.”

Advocates argue that New York’s administrative penalties — fines, license suspensions, and traffic-camera citations — do not adequately deter chronic high-risk drivers.

They are pushing for new “super speeder” legislation that would:

require speed-limiting devices in vehicles of repeat offenders

impose stricter penalties after multiple camera-detected violations

increase surveillance and enforcement for known high-risk motorists

give courts more authority to restrict driving privileges

Supporters say the Saada tragedy highlights the failure of current systems to intervene early enough to prevent catastrophic harm.

A Judge Known for Tough Sentences Faces Scrutiny

Judge Chun’s decision received attention in part because of his reputation.

In previous cases, he has imposed strict sentences, including upholding the 2025 murder conviction of John Giuca in the high-profile “Grid Kid” case.

His ruling Wednesday was therefore seen by some legal observers as unusually lenient for a case involving multiple deaths and a driver with extensive prior violations.

The New York State Office of Court Administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment on whether the sentence aligns with precedent in comparable vehicular-fatality cases.

Legal analysts note that sentencing decisions in plea agreements are often shaped by factors the public never sees — including mental-health reports, treatment history, and expert evaluations.

Possibility of Civil Action: A Wrongful-Death Suit Under Consideration

While the criminal case has now concluded, the legal fallout may not be over.

Attorney Kulefsky confirmed that the Saada family is considering a wrongful-death lawsuit, which could pursue damages from Yarimi or other responsible parties.

Such suits typically examine:

vehicle ownership

insurance coverage

maintenance history

potential third-party liability

prior driving record patterns

Civil litigation has different standards than criminal prosecution and often unfolds over many years.

For now, the family remains focused on mourning and healing.

Community Response: Grief, Anger, and a Call for Change

In neighborhoods across Brooklyn, the tragedy has sparked conversations about:

pedestrian safety

traffic enforcement

reckless driving penalties

the role of speed cameras

the responsibilities of judges in plea deals

Local leaders have renewed calls for:

expanded speed-camera usage

automatic license suspension for repeated violations

mental-health interventions for unsafe drivers

mandatory vehicle safety technology

The crash also reignited debate about whether New York City should have more authority over driver enforcement — rather than relying on state law for major penalties.

A City Reckoning With a Preventable Loss

As details of the case continue to surface, one painful truth remains: Natasha, Diana, and Deborah Saada were doing something countless families across New York do every weekend — walking home from religious services.

In an instant, a driver with a well-documented history of dangerous behavior ended their lives and changed a family forever.

For the Saadas, what happened cannot be undone.
For the court, the criminal case is now complete.
For the city, deeper questions remain unresolved.

Why wasn’t action taken sooner to address Yarimi’s long violation record?
How can tragedies like this be prevented?
And what reforms — technological, legal, or systemic — are needed to protect families walking their neighborhoods?

A Quiet, Graceful Response From a Grieving Husband

Perhaps the most striking part of this story is the response from Sidney Saada, who lost his wife and two daughters in the same instant.

Though devastated, he refused to call for punishment or revenge.

“I believe this all was an act from God and we accept it with grace,” he wrote. “We harbor no hatred nor anger toward her or her family.”

In a moment defined by unimaginable heartbreak, his words carried a rare mixture of faith, resilience, and restraint.

He and his son now face a future shaped by loss — but, as his statement suggests, also shaped by hope.

A Sentence, a Family’s Pain, and a City’s Call for Accountability

The 3-to-9 year sentence handed down to Miriam Yarimi has reopened long-standing debates about New York’s approach to reckless driving and repeat offenders. It has left a grieving family grappling with what justice means. And it has propelled lawmakers and advocates to call for urgent reforms before another tragedy occurs.

For the Saada family, the journey ahead will involve healing, remembrance, and the quiet strength they have already shown the world.

For New York, the question now is whether this heartbreaking case becomes a catalyst for meaningful change — or another tragic headline that fades without action.