12-Year-Old Died Subway Surfing Days Before Her Birthday. Mom Found Out While Watching the News

“She was supposed to be asleep in her room,” said Zemfira Mukhtaro’s mom. “Now, we’re planning her funeral”

NEED TO KNOW

  • Two young girls have been identified after they died while subway surfing in New York City on Oct. 4
  • Investigators believe the teens snuck out of their homes for a night of adventure, with one mother learning about the incident while watching the news the next morning
  • “I feel like it’s God’s plan… because what if he really needs her really badly,” said the sister of one of the victims

A 12-year-old girl snuck out of her home in the middle of the night to meet her 13-year-old friend before they both died while subway surfing in New York City last week. Now, officials have released the identities of the young victims.

On Tuesday, Oct. 7, a spokesperson for the New York City Police Department (NYPD) confirmed to PEOPLE that 12-year-old Zemfira Mukhtaro from Brooklyn and 13-year-old Ebba Morina from Manhattan were found dead at the Marcy Avenue subway station in Brooklyn when authorities responded to a 911 call just after 3 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.

In a previous statement to PEOPLE, New York City Transit Authority (NYCTA) President Demetrius Crichlow said the tragedy involved subway surfing, or riding on the outside of a moving subway train…

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