MARTA Girl’s victim is mother of Morehouse head football coach
A concerned mother spoke with Channel 2 Actions News’ Monica Pearson yesterday about her daughter’s struggle with mental illness.
Elaine Sabree spoke exclusively with Pearson about her daughter Nafiza Ziyad, 25, who was arrested after a MARTA passenger videotaped her verbally assaulting an elderly passenger.
After an extensive investigation, MARTA police located Ziyad on May 8 in the Fulton County jail where she was detained on unrelated charges. Ziyad is currently being held in the DeKalb County jail.
Sabree told Pearson her daughter was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 3 years ago. But Ziyad had been off her medication for some time prior to the incident on the train. “I was shocked,” said Sabree who told Pearson that her daughter was off her medication because, “She didn’t believe she was bipolar.”
The elderly MARTA passenger was identified as Mary Freeman, the mother of Morehouse head football coach Richard Freeman. Mr. Freeman said his mother was never angry with Ziyad because she knew the young woman was “troubled”. He also said the family would not press charges.
Sabree told Pearson she decided not to bail her daughter out of jail for her own safety because she fears the public will attack her.
It’s a shame that the local rag paper finally got off their hands and wrote an article about a story that casts a harsh light on the mental health crisis in Georgia.
You can’t tell that the paper has any black writers on staff. None of them had the vision to see that one of the biggest Internet stories of the year was playing out in their own back yard.
What a waste of ink and trees.
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24 Responses to “MARTA Girl’s victim is mother of Morehouse head football coach”
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umm see you never know who you disrespect and also that child needs help BAD!!! also kudos to Mrs. Freeman a real black queen with class because Lord knows had that been my momma she would be in a ghetto straight-jacket. I don’t care how bipolar her azz was she calmed the hell down when old dude yoked her up she aint that damn crazy
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“Mr. Freeman said his mother was never angry with Ziyad because she knew the young woman was “troubled”.”
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Bless her heart. I love just most older people to pieces.
The family isn’t pressing charges, but she owes that elderly lady a genuine apology, without placing blame on this or that. It was her choice not to take medication, and if she is in denial, it’s easier to understand why she has not been taking medication. Hope she comes out of this in a better way.
I said that because I would have pressed charges. Maybe a long jail stint would remind Nafiza (sp?) not to go off her meds again.
I’m all for cutting you a break…as long as it’s not risking someone else’s safety.
Well, maybe now “she” know she BIPOLAR! I know she will be using that in court!
“I don’t care how bipolar her azz was she calmed the hell down when old dude yoked her up she aint that damn crazy”
My sentiments exactly. This girl knew she had a problem and she decided to stop taking her medicine. yes, this issue has made us more aware of the mental illness situation in our country. But now we know she had the means, just not the desire to take her medication.
Why is his mother riding the Marta? Yup I said it everyone knows how crazy the Marta is…
Not only does this young woman need professional help, my opinion is she needs to be re-evaluated & re-diagnosed. Although I am not a mental health professional, it was VERY clear from the video she suffers from something more severe than bi-polar disorder…most bi-polar patients are more harmful to themselves than others and the majority of bi-polar people are more closed in and depressed than outspoken and confrontational. It is a very sad case for both women involved. I commend the elder lady for not pressing charges and I hope the younger woman gets the professional help she REALLY needs so she can be a good mother to her son & a stable, productive citizen in our community…..
#7 I was thinking the exact same thing, not saying that she is too good to be riding the train but just look at the fooloishness that happened I wouldn’t expect her to press charges cause most elderly folks can tell when something ain’t right with you but I can bet my last dollar that will be Mrs. Freeman last ride on the Marta!!! I know if it was my mom it would be, they let that chick go too far she should have never been that close up in her face like that God forbid if she had of hit her or something all because she chose not to take her meds!!!
her mother decided not to bail her daughter out of jail for her own safety because she fears the public will attack her.
She needs to bail her out so that she can get the help that she really needs..After all this publicity someone surely wants to help this poor girl I’m sure. She has to be able to take care of her son. IMO she does owe the lady an apology for how she was acting towards her, but it needs to be done when she is better and can fully understand what she did and is truly sorry.
I am glad that she would not press charges, but what legal ground would she have to stand on. The young lady never assaulted her (only verbally).
@ backatcha:
She was charged with simple assault for leaning on the lady. Also, she threatened to kill her. She could be charged with making terroristic threats.
I don’t think she is bi-polar.
The elderly are much wiser and can often see things we don’t recognize..pressing charges would not have helped although I would have been the first to do so..hindsight being what it is would have made me see the bigger picture that she needed help and jail was not going to do it for her
She needs to evaluated not in Dekalb County. My sister said that that jail is out of control compared to the ones in Boston we are from. She was in there for two weeks and she said it was hell.
The white folks wanted to sweep this **** under the carpet. I am sorry but it is true. I am not racist, I am just telling the truth.
Island Princess, I’m more concerned about ur sister jail hoppin and being a nationwide jailhouse critic… LOL!! (sorry but that was funny to me)
Well I am glad that Ms. Mary is okay!!!
I hope that this female gets some help fast!!!
I think that the only reason why its on the news is because the victim is the mother of Morehouse head football coach Richard Freeman. I’m sure if her son was some ol’ regular guy and not on semi-celeb status then this story wouldn’t go past the bloggers’ website…
This was on the new this morning in SF, CA. I didnt see what was reported, just saw it as “coming up later”
This is NOT a state, county nor city issue. Look, as a people we need to stop relying on other people for our general care and well being. The problem lies within our own communities where we no longer have family, church and community bonding together and takng care of our own. We use to be a society of people that operated like a nucleus, now everyone is out for themselves and we are living the “American Way”: I gotta get mine, you gotta get yours. Her mother, father and those in her family are to blame for where she is. It’s not the State of GA or anything else to seek the help and attention she needs. If she were trying to get food stamps or something, they’d be all over that paperwork….go figure. Yeah I said it…And?
I work with mentally unstable adults (Veterans), and I’m degreed in Psychology and Rehab counseling…Most psychotic people know something is wrong with them, and lots of them know they need their meds, but don’t like the way the meds make em feel. Also, you people keep talking about she needs to sit in jail and she’ll get right. All the jail time in the world won’t help her; hell, it don’t even help the people that actually deserve to be there! And if she isn’t a threat to anyones safety or herself, she can’t be detained or hospitalized.
@ ladydiamond.. I agree with most of what you said but I disagree with the part of its the family fault. You cannot blame the family or the state of Ga for this girl’s illness or not getting the proper medical treatment for her illness. That is like blaming a person’s family for having cancer, aids or any other sickness. The state of Ga or any other state could barely cover insurance cost for poor folks never mind mental health individuals….. This woman may not have private insurance to cover her medical expenses.. its just sad and yes I do feel sorry for all parties involved- especially NANA..
mochamommy, you are heading to time out
…..we all have 1 in the family that ‘goes away’ for a little while. I pray for all of the families to get help and healing from this. Where is the NAACP? I’m not being funny, but if the president still stops by to read the posts…what is the organization willing to do to step up and make some reforms? This is a perfect example of when an influential group can make a statement for a cause. I’m just thinking out loud again.
[…] Iman Ziyad went into a huge outburst while riding the MARTA in Atlanta. The victim of the rant? The mother of the head coach for Morehouse College’s football team. The reason why the story has been getting so much play is because Ziyad, who seems to suffer for […]