Heartbroken mom of teen subway surfing victim wants officials to address disturbing trend

The heartbroken and “numb” mother of a 14-year-old boy killed while “subway surfing” in Queens Thursday sounded the alarm about the disturbing trend that she wants local politicians to address.

The mom opened up about her son Javen Fraser’s death in an interview with The Post Friday — a day after the teen, an aspiring engineer and volunteer in the NYPD Explorer youth program, died by falling off a 7 train car at the 33rd Street–Rawson Street station.

While remembering Javen as a “funny child that was always cracking jokes,” the mother also decried the “dangerous” subway surfing stunts that have now claimed the lives of two 14-year-old boys in the Big Apple since last Thursday.

“I’m trying to get to the detective right now so that I can talk to the mayor so that we can try to get these kids from doing this on the subway,” said Javen’s mom, who identified herself S. Fraser.

She said she also wants to “see what as a state what we can do to change these children from doing this because it’s not right what they’re doing to themselves.”


Javen Fraser
Javen Fraser had just finished his first year in high school before he died “subway surfing” on Thursday.
Georgett Roberts

Javen had just finished his freshman year of high school at Northside Charter School and was about to take summer classes before starting 10th grade next school year.  

He was a high achiever in school, according to his mother, who described her only son as “bubbly” and “the life of the party.”

His mom emotionally recalled her last moments with Javen on Wednesday when they spent time in Coney Island eating Nathan’s.

“We came home. I left him and went to work [on Thursday] and when I came home that was it,” she recalled.

When he didn’t return home, she reported him to the police as missing and later received a call from NYPD detectives who said she had to go to the hospital.

When she arrived, she was greeted by doctors who took her to see her son’s body. 

“I was so in shock, lost for words, don’t know what to say, still numb, don’t know how to feel,” Fraser said.

“I hold his hand. I touch his feet. Everything is intact. I touch his legs. The only thing I didn’t do was touch his face because his face was swollen and very badly,” she said, holding her face in her hands.


Javen Fraser in front of a subway car
Javen posted a photo to his social media page posed in front of an out-of-service subway train, but his mom said she made him take it down.
Georgett Roberts

Javen is the latest teenage victim who lost his life partaking in the dangerous stunt, which has become an alarmingly increasing occurrence on the city’s subways.

Last week, after Brian Crespo, 14, died while subway surfing atop an L train in Brooklyn, Mayor Eric Adams blamed social media platforms like TikTok for the daredevilish stunts.

Videos on TikTok of users “surfing” on city subway cars have generated millions of views. Adams called on the platform to ban the videos and for parents to monitor their children’s social media pages.


Javen Fraser
Fraser was an aspiring engineer and volunteer in the NYPD Explorer youth program.
Georgett Roberts

Javen’s mother also blamed the subway surfing trend on a popular mobile game she said Javen would frequently play where users can jump atop a moving subway train.

“We all have our kids playing the game thinking it was OK … he used to play it all the time. You never think an innocent game would’ve done that,” she said.

In March, a 14-year-old boy died after he fell between subway cars in the Bronx while riding on top of a 5 train.

A month earlier, a 15-year-old  boy was also killed while riding on a subway car across the Williamsburg Bridge.

According to MTA data, there were 52 reports of people riding outside of subway cars in the city in February and 58 in January, the most recent stats available for 2023.


NYPD officer gives Javen Fraser's mom a hug on Friday
An NYPD officer from the 36th precinct where Javen was a member of the NYPD Explorer program, hugged the boy’s mom in front of her home on Friday.
Georgett Roberts

Adams said last week the number of people subway surfing skyrocketed by 366% between 2021 and 2022.

Norma Nazario, who’s 15-year-old son was killed after he hit his head on top of a J train as it crossed the Williamsburg Bridge, told The Post last week that the MTA was “full of s–t” about placing in new protocols to stop teens from riding on top of the trains.


Police outside of subway station
Last week, another 14-year-old was killed riding on top of the subway.
Christopher Sadowski

“The doors need to be locked, unless it’s an emergency — then they can open,” Nazario told The Post last week amid the latest string of deaths.

She said the MTA should also install cameras and sensors so it can detect people straying from the cabin.

“The MTA has failed us. And it continues to fail parents. But they’re not going to do anything — it’s all talk and talk and talk. And the carnage continues.”

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