Mother: Slain teens had fled suspect’s Florida home

HIGHLAND SPRINGS, Va. – The mother of the 18-year-old woman who was shot and killed in Virginia along with her cousin says the teens had fled the shooting suspect’s Florida home about a week before.

Vanessa Zaman’s mother, Saveeta Barnes, tells The Richmond Times-Dispatch her daughter had moved from Long Island, New York, to Orlando, Florida, in October to live with her biological father, 39-year-old Abdool Zaman. Barnes says Abdool Zaman had a 3-month-old baby with his brother’s stepdaughter, 18-year-old Leona Samlall.

Vanessa Zaman and Samlall were shot to death in Highland Springs, Virginia, Dec. 13. Abdool Zaman was arrested Tuesday in Queens, New York City, and has been charged with second-degree murder.

Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor says the baby’s identity is under investigation.

The newspaper couldn’t reach Abdool Zaman’s court-appointed attorney.

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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.richmond.com