A Colombian businesswoman wanted in connection with the deaths of two young schoolgirls has been rescued from the River Thames in London after fleeing to the United Kingdom amid an international manhunt.
Zulma Guzman Castro, a business owner originally from Colombia, is accused by Colombian authorities of deliberately killing 14-year-old Ines de Bedout and 13-year-old Emilia Forero by sending them chocolate-covered raspberries laced with thallium, a colourless, odourless and highly toxic heavy metal. The girls died in April 2025, days after eating the poisoned fruit shared at a private residence in Bogotá. The Sun
Allegations and Motive
Investigators allege that the sweets were intentionally injected with thallium before being packaged and delivered to the young victims at a luxury apartment in Colombia’s capital on April 3, 2025. The two schoolgirls reportedly refused the parcel at first but later consumed the contaminated raspberries, collapsing soon after and later dying in hospital. The Sun
Another teenage girl and a 21-year-old man who ate the poisoned fruit were also hospitalised. The teenage survivor is reported to have suffered lasting health effects. The Sun
Colombian authorities believe the alleged poisoning was an act of revenge linked to a secret affair Guzman Castro is said to have had with the father of one of the victims, though she has denied involvement. LBC
International Manhunt and Escape
After the deaths of Ines and Emilia, Guzman Castro left Colombia on April 13, 2025 and began travelling abroad. Colombian judicial authorities issued an Interpol Red Notice seeking her arrest, indicating she had passed through Argentina, Brazil and Spain before arriving in the United Kingdom in mid-November. The Sun
According to reports, British law enforcement including the National Crime Agency, was actively seeking her following confirmation of her presence in the UK. Guzman Castro reportedly entered the country on November 11 and remained under international scrutiny. The Sun
Rescue From the Thames and British Police Response
On December 16, 2025, Metropolitan Police officers from the Marine Policing Unit responded to reports of a woman in distress near Battersea Bridge in west London. Responding around 06:45 GMT, officers located Guzman Castro in the River Thames. She was removed from the water at approximately 07:14 and taken to a local hospital, where her injuries were later assessed as not life-threatening or life-changing. LBC
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed the rescue but declined to comment on the broader international investigation. Once she is medically cleared, Guzman Castro is expected to be formally arrested by UK authorities under a warrant issued by Westminster Magistrates’ Court and will face extradition proceedings to Colombia. LBC
Victims and Family Reactions
The deaths of Ines de Bedout and Emilia Forero have sent shockwaves across Colombia, where families and communities continue to mourn the tragic loss of the two teens.
Emilia’s father, Pedro Forero, shared a deeply emotional tribute to his daughter on social media earlier this month, describing her as a source of joy, hope and dreams whose life was abruptly cut short. He wrote about the profound void left in the family’s life and called the deaths “incomprehensible” for a parent. LBC
Ongoing Investigation
Colombian authorities continue to investigate the case, including questions about whether other suspicious deaths, such as the earlier passing of another family member, might be linked to thallium poisoning. Guzman Castro has publicly denied the allegations, claiming that her travel between countries was related to work, study, and being near her son, rather than an attempt to evade law enforcement. The Sun