In a dramatic turn of events, a businesswoman wanted for the alleged murder of two Colombian schoolgirls using poisoned chocolate-covered raspberries was pulled alive from London's River Thames.
Dramatic Rescue and International Manhunt
Zulma Guzman Castro, the fugitive at the centre of this tragic case, was rescued from the water near Battersea Bridge in west London on the morning of Tuesday, December 16. The Metropolitan Police's Marine Policing Unit recovered the woman, who is in her 50s, at 7:14 am after receiving a distress call at 6:45 am. She was taken to a hospital, where her injuries were assessed as not life-threatening or life-changing.
Castro is accused of fleeing Colombia after being implicated in the deaths of two teenagers: 14-year-old Ines de Bedout and her 13-year-old friend, Emilia Forero. The girls died in a hospital just days after consuming the fatal dessert. An Interpol Red Notice was issued for Castro earlier in December, with authorities tracking her movements through Brazil, Spain, and finally the United Kingdom. It is understood she entered Britain on November 11, prompting an active search by the National Crime Agency.
A Deadly Dessert and Alleged Motive
Colombian prosecutors allege that Castro spiked raspberries with thallium, a colourless and odourless heavy metal known for its high toxicity. The poisoned chocolate-covered berries were reportedly delivered to an apartment in Bogota via a courier. The two teenagers consumed the dessert after school and succumbed to the poisoning four days later.
The alleged motive, as reported by local media and prosecutors, was an "act of vengeance" linked to a secret affair. Castro was reportedly involved with Juan de Bedout, the father of one of the victims, Ines. The poisoning is said to have been an attempt to take revenge on her former lover.
The incident, which occurred seven months ago, also hospitalised two other individuals: another teenage girl who ate some of the raspberries and the 21-year-old brother of one of the victims. While both survived, the young girl is reported to have suffered lasting health problems as a result.
A Father's Heartbreak and Ongoing Case
The deaths of the two girls sparked an outpouring of grief, particularly from Emilia's father, Pedro Forero. In desperate social media posts made before a suspect was identified, he expressed his profound loss. "Fourteen years ago, a life of hopes, joys and dreams began," Forero said. "As a father, it is incomprehensible to think that someone was capable of taking this away."
He lamented not only the loss of his own future with his daughter but also the future she was robbed of: "She took away my daughter's opportunity to be a girlfriend, a professional, a wife, a mother and a daughter."
Zulma Guzman Castro denies the allegations of killing the teenagers. Her rescue from the Thames marks a significant development in an international case that has spanned continents, from South America to Europe. The legal proceedings regarding her extradition and the charges against her are expected to continue.
