12-year-old Brooklyn girl killed subway surfing days before 13th birthday

NEW YORK - A 12-year-old girl has been identified as one of the teens who died while subway surfing in Brooklyn early Saturday morning.

What we know:

Police identified Zemfira Mukhtarov as one of the victims found on top of a subway car at the Marcy Avenue station after an apparent attempt to ride outside the train.

Local perspective:

Her mother, Nataliya Rudenko, tells FOX 5 NY’s Arthur Chi’en she learned about the incident while watching the news that same morning. Rudenko says she was making breakfast when her 11-year-old daughter spotted a skateboard and a purse in the TV footage.

"She said, ‘Mommy, that’s Zemfira’s,’" Rudenko recalled. "I said, no, it’s someone else’s."

Two teens killed in apparent subway surfing incident

The backstory:

Police say officers responded to a 911 call around 3:10 a.m. for two unconscious people on top of a train. When they arrived, both victims were unresponsive. EMS pronounced them dead at the scene.

Investigators believe the two girls, ages 12 and 13, met on social media and snuck out of their Brooklyn homes late Friday for what they described as an adventure. Hours later, their bodies were discovered when the train pulled into the station.

"She was supposed to be asleep in her room," Rudenko said. "Now we’re planning her funeral."

Funeral arrangements for Zemfira Mukhtarov are set for Saturday. Next Friday, she would have celebrated her 13th birthday.

What you can do:

As New York City continues to battle the rise of subway surfing, a dangerous trend fueled by social media, Zemfira’s death underscores the risks facing thrill-seeking teens.

MTA Chair Janno Lieber called the tragedy heartbreaking.

"It doesn’t get any more tragic than this," he said. "Young teenage girls. It doesn’t get any more tragic than this."

The NYPD says drones have helped officers intercept more than 130 children this year riding outside trains, some as young as nine years old, preventing more potential deaths.

NYPD Chief of Transit, Christopher Gulotta said the trend is part of a larger phenomenon known as urban exploring.

"They’re not just subway surfing," he said. "They’re going into tunnels and layup locations. It’s incredibly dangerous."

Subway surfing dangers and prevention

According to the MTA, subway surfing riding outside or between moving train cars is both illegal and deadly. The agency says the behavior has surged on social media in recent years, leading to a sharp increase in injuries and fatalities.

In response, the MTA has launched public safety campaigns urging riders to "Ride Inside, Stay Alive." The agency has also increased enforcement around known hotspots and is urging parents and guardians to talk with teens about the dangers.