Woman Accused of Poisoning 2 Teen Girls Pulled Alive from River in Dramatic Capture

A woman accused of poisoning two teenage girls with chocolate-covered raspberries in Colombia was rescued from the River Thames in London this week, according to reports.

On Tuesday, December 16, just after 7 a.m., Zulma Guzman Castro was pulled from the water near Battersea Bridge, multiple U.K. outlets, including The Telegraph and The Times, reported. She was taken to a hospital where her injuries were described as not life-threatening.

Castro is the main suspect in the deaths of two minors in Bogotá. The girls, 14-year-old Ines de Bedout and 13-year-old Emilia Forero, reportedly died in April after consuming raspberries contaminated with thallium, a highly toxic and odorless metal. The chocolate-covered fruit was delivered on April 3, and the girls passed away four days later.

Interpol had previously issued a red notice for Castro’s arrest, though it has since been rescinded.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers were called to Battersea Bridge at 6:45 a.m. on December 16 following reports of a woman in distress. The Marine Policing Unit recovered a woman in her 50s at 7:14 a.m., who was then taken to the hospital.

Colombian authorities, including Ambassador Laura Sarabia, confirmed that Castro, a businesswoman who previously appeared on Shark Tank Colombia, is receiving medical treatment in London. Under British law, authorities must wait until she is discharged before making a formal arrest.

Investigations suggest that Castro may have intended the poisoned raspberries as an act of revenge against her former lover, Juan de Bedout, father of one of the victims. Castro has denied involvement in the deaths. She reportedly left Colombia on April 13 and traveled through Argentina, Brazil, and Spain before arriving in the U.K. on November 11. A warrant for her arrest was issued earlier this week by Westminster Magistrates Court.

Reports indicate that another girl suffered life-changing injuries from the poisoning, and the 21-year-old brother of one of the victims was also hospitalized.

The victims’ families have shared heartfelt tributes. Pedro Forero, Emilia’s father, posted on Facebook in August, marking what would have been her 14th birthday:

“Daughter, you will always be the greatest love I as a father can ever feel. There is no girlfriend or wife that can generate the love I had when I had you, and with this love I will go until the last day of my life. I love you and I will love you for the rest of my life. I cry for the stories we won’t be able to live. I appreciate who you were and what you taught me. You were and will be the cutest thing I had in my life.”

Authorities from Interpol and the Colombian Embassy have not provided further comment.