A businesswoman, Zulma Guzman Castro, is facing accusations of causing the deaths of two schoolgirls by giving them poisoned fruit in what is suspected to be an act of revenge. The victims, Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13, allegedly died after consuming chocolate-covered raspberries sent by Guzman through a courier service. The incident is believed to be linked to a fallout between Guzman and Ines’s father, Juan de Bedout, following the end of their undisclosed relationship. Prosecutors claim that Guzman orchestrated the delivery knowing the girls’ fondness for raspberries and their daily routines.
The delivery was made on April 3 to the girls at a luxury apartment in Bogota, Colombia, where they were playing after school. Tragically, both girls passed away shortly after consuming the poisoned raspberries, while another friend and Ines’s brother required hospitalization but survived with lasting injuries. A forensic analysis revealed the presence of thallium in the raspberries, a toxic heavy metal previously linked to other poisoning cases, including that of a former Russian spy.
Colombia’s prosecution service, upon confirming the murder through test results, sought Guzman’s arrest with the assistance of Interpol. Guzman, who is the founder of the car-sharing company Car-B, reportedly fled to Argentina, her home country, as an Interpol Red Notice was issued for her arrest. Despite maintaining her innocence, Guzman traveled to Brazil, Spain, and the UK after leaving Colombia earlier in the year. In a statement released to Colombian media, Guzman refuted accusations of fleeing the country and claimed to have been pursuing educational opportunities in journalism abroad.
The case has raised further suspicions as investigators look into the death of Juan’s wife two years prior, considering the possibility of thallium poisoning in her case as well. The tragic incident involving the schoolgirls has sparked a legal pursuit to bring Guzman to justice for the alleged deliberate poisoning.