A woman in business charged with causing the death of two schoolgirls by using poisoned chocolate-covered raspberries had intentions to escape. Zulma Guzman, aged 54, was apprehended after authorities found out she had purchased a plane ticket to Brazil subsequent to her rescue from the River Thames the previous month. She was accused of the murder of Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13, by reportedly contaminating raspberries with a toxic metal called thallium and delivering them to their residence in Colombia. Allegedly, the motive behind the crime was revenge due to being rejected by Ines’ father, Juan de Bedout, after he had an extramarital relationship with her.
Guzman came to the attention of UK officials when she entered Manchester Airport several months after leaving Colombia and was identified as the primary suspect in the case. On December 16, she was discovered on Battersea Bridge in London at 6:15 am before plunging into the River Thames. After being rescued and taken to a mental health facility, Guzman was arrested on January 6 and is currently detained in a prison in Kent following an international search operation. She has refuted the allegations of poisoning the girls.
According to a Colombian TV presenter, Maria Elvira Aranga, the businesswoman had acquired a plane ticket to Brazil before her river incident, allegedly in an attempt to evade the authorities. Maria Elvira stated, “A reliable Interpol source informed me that in mid-December, Zulma Guzman, accused of poisoning three girls in Bogota with thallium, did not attempt suicide by jumping into the River Thames. The police approached Guzman as she was carrying a package she intended to drop off, informing her of the Colombian investigation, prompting her to jump into the river to escape arrest.”
After receiving medical care and learning of Colombia’s extradition request, Guzman was formally arrested. Maria Elvira further mentioned, “Before she could be apprehended, she purchased a flight ticket to Brazil, raising suspicion with Interpol, leading to her detention. Although the extradition process may take time, Colombian authorities are confident that Zulma Guzman will return to provide an account of the events.”
While Guzman is the sole suspect accused of the poisoning, another woman who allegedly handed the raspberries to the delivery driver has been summoned for interrogation. She maintains her innocence, asserting that she is a victim of identity theft. Colombian authorities are actively investigating the demise of Juan de Bedout’s late wife, Alicia Graham Sardi, who passed away on August 17, 2021, following a cancer re-diagnosis.
An ex-family physician disclosed that tests revealed unusually high thallium levels in Alicia’s body after she experienced hair loss and severe leg pain. In an interview post her departure from Colombia, Guzman denied harming or causing the deaths of the girls, stating, “I am a mother, and I can empathize with the unbearable pain, but I am not the culprit they seek.”
Flight records indicate that Guzman revealed her UK presence during an interview where she was seen drinking Buxton water. Records show she flew from Madrid to Manchester on November 11 before heading to London. It is believed that her son is attending a private school in the UK. Guzman appeared in Westminster Magistrates Court on January 6, where she was remanded in custody after declining extradition. A case management hearing is scheduled for February 9.
