A Colombian businesswoman sought in connection with the alleged poisoning deaths of two teenage girls in Bogotá has been found in london after months on the run. Zulma Guzmán Castro, 54, was rescued from the River Thames Tuesday morning and is now in custody under mental health legislation, as authorities prepare for potential extradition proceedings [[1]].The case, involving the deaths of 14-year-old Inés de Bedout and 13-year-old Emilia Forero, centers around allegations that the girls consumed thallium-laced raspberries, and highlights the complexities of international investigations and pursuit of justice [[3]].
LONDON – A Colombian businesswoman wanted in connection with the alleged poisoning deaths of two teenage girls was rescued from the River Thames in London early Tuesday morning, revealing her location after months on the run that included a stay in Argentina.
Zulma Guzmán Castro, 54, is sought in Colombia as the prime suspect in the deaths of Inés de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13. Investigators believe the girls died after consuming chocolate-covered raspberries laced with thallium, a colorless and odorless heavy metal, allegedly as an act of revenge stemming from a secret relationship Castro had with Inés’s father, Juan de Bedout.
An Interpol red notice had been issued for Castro after evidence linked her to the crime through a courier delivery of the contaminated fruit. Colombian media reports indicate the suspect initially fled to Argentina, where she reportedly pursued postgraduate studies, before traveling to Great Britain.
Castro denied the accusations against her in a statement that went viral on social media earlier this month.
Suspicion that Castro was in the UK arose over the weekend when she was seen drinking from a bottle of Buxton mineral water during an interview with Focus Noticias.
El Tiempo newspaper was among the first to note the detail as a potential clue to her whereabouts, after Interpol’s 196 member countries were asked to locate and detain Castro.
Further investigation by other Colombian media outlets, such as Semana, confirmed that “the bottled water is only sold in the United Kingdom and distributed to physical and retail stores located in that country.”
On Wednesday, the Metropolitan Police Service released a statement reporting the rescue of a woman from the River Thames near Battersea Bridge in southwest London, who was subsequently identified by British and Colombian authorities as the suspect.
Castro is currently being held under mental health legislation following the rescue operation, reportedly after a suspected suicide attempt, while British authorities assess potential deportation or extradition. The case highlights the challenges of international law enforcement in tracking down suspects who flee across borders.
“She is conscious and in good health,” a source close to the case told El Tiempo.
The same source indicated that the deportation or extradition process could take between eight months and a year.
“As soon as she overcomes her health difficulties, is discharged, and the international request can be formally notified by the British authorities, the Attorney General’s Office will formalize an extradition request for her to face investigation in Colombia,” sources within the prosecutor’s office told El Tiempo.
Castro is accused of poisoning the two girls on April 3, allegedly using a courier service to deliver the thallium-laced dessert. Both young women died less than a week later at the Fundación Santa Fe Hospital in Bogotá.
The delivery driver told investigators he received the package from a friend of the suspect, who specifically instructed him that it was for the two girls, as they were known to enjoy the treat.
The 21-year-old brother of one of the victims and a friend also were hospitalized after consuming the raspberries, but both survived, although the young friend reportedly suffered permanent health consequences.
Forensic experts determined that the highly toxic metal – which can be fatal even in minimal doses – was deliberately injected into the fruit before it was delivered to a luxury apartment in Bogotá, where the victims were playing after school.
Investigators believe the accused, who left Colombia on April 13, was familiar with Inés de Bedout’s daily routine and her fondness for the dessert, having had a prior connection to the family.
In her interview with Focus Noticias, the founder of a car-sharing company called Car–B admitted to having a more than six-year extramarital affair with Juan de Bedout, and to having placed a GPS tracker on his car due to jealousy.
“The relationship with him was basically clandestine and we would meet at my house or in other places in Bogotá. It ended in early 2020,” Castro stated.
However, Castro denied all accusations against her.
“I am a mother, and that must be unbearable pain, and I understand that for that reason they want to find the culprit and use all possible means to do so, but I am not that culprit,” she said in the interview.
“The strategy is clearly to completely destroy me before any legal process, to destroy my image and give a version that annihilates me without any trial, without any guarantee of a fair trial at this time,” Castro insisted.
Castro had been subject to an international arrest warrant since earlier this month, when Interpol issued its red notice, reporting that the suspect had traveled through Brazil and Spain before reaching her final hiding place in Great Britain, where she reportedly entered the country on November 11, according to local media outlet The Sun.
According to the London Police report, authorities received a call at 6:45 am local time (3:45 am in Argentina) on Tuesday from a member of the public alerting them to a woman in distress near Battersea Bridge.
The Metropolitan Police Marine Policing Unit, responsible for patrolling the river, rescued her half an hour later after the security camera system identified the incident, and transported her to the nearest hospital, reportedly St George’s University Hospitals.
Castro was treated for injuries sustained during the rescue, but is not in life-threatening condition. Local sources say she is conscious, but has not yet retained a lawyer.
London police already had information about the suspect, as Colombian Interpol had provided its counterparts in London with her fingerprints and immigration records.
Earlier this week, Westminster Magistrates’ Court in central London issued an arrest warrant for Castro following a cooperation request from Colombian authorities, according to British media outlet The Daily Mail.
Developing story
With information from El Tiempo
