A Bronx father has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for fatally stabbing his former partner in front of their two young children at the end of their toddler's birthday celebration, turning what should have been a happy night into a crime scene.
The sentence was handed down in Bronx Supreme Court on June 16, 2026, after a jury convicted 38-year-old Shaheene Ahmad of second-degree murder and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child in the killing of 23-year-old Zariah Hayes. The case and conviction were announced in a press release from the Bronx District Attorney's office, which said Justice Audrey Stone imposed the sentence. The release noted the case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Allison Kline and Emma Wardle of the Domestic Violence Bureau and thanked victim advocates and law enforcement who helped the family and the investigation.
According to the DA's release, the attack happened on September 14, 2023, at 2552 Holland Ave. at the end of a birthday celebration for the couple's 2-year-old son. Prosecutors said Ahmad stabbed Hayes 17 times, including 16 wounds to her face and neck. Paramedics took Hayes to Jacobi Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. "This defendant committed an especially horrific crime," Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said in the statement.
Family speaks out
Hayes' relatives told News 12 Bronx that she had moved back home just days earlier to get away from what they described as a years-long, toxic relationship and was planning to leave for good. "She was a great mom, a loving person and always made sure she reached out to everybody," her sister Zaniyah Hayes said.
Prosecution and court
The DA's statement said the case was handled by the Domestic Violence Bureau, under supervisors Agata DiGiovanni and Joseph Muroff. The office credited Bronx Homicide detectives and officers from the 49th Precinct with responding to the scene and rescuing the children. Crime Victim Advocate Laura Ramirez was also acknowledged for assisting the family. After a jury found Ahmad guilty, the court imposed the 25 years to life sentence.
Aftermath
The killing has left Hayes' family grieving and caring for the children, who remain with relatives, according to the DA's office. With sentencing complete, Ahmad will begin serving the term ordered by the court while the family continues to mourn and seek support in the wake of the violence.
