Businesswoman Accused of Poisoning Teens with Raspberries Arrested in London
A businesswoman wanted for allegedly poisoning two teenage girls with chocolate-covered raspberries laced with a deadly heavy metal has been arrested in London after being rescued from the River Thames. Zulma Guzman, 54, was taken into custody following an international manhunt after authorities discovered she had purchased a plane ticket to Brazil as part of an apparent escape plan.
Alleged Revenge Plot Unfolds Across Continents
The Colombian national stands accused of killing Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13, in Bogotá by allegedly delivering raspberries contaminated with thallium to their home. Investigators believe the poisoning was an act of revenge after Guzman was reportedly dumped by Ines' father, financier Juan de Bedout, following his extra-marital affair with her.
The suspect entered the United Kingdom via Manchester Airport several months after fleeing Colombia, where she had been identified as the primary suspect in the case. Her presence in Britain was reportedly revealed during an interview where she was seen drinking Buxton water, with flight records confirming her travel from Madrid to Manchester on November 11 before she proceeded to London.
Dramatic Thames Rescue Precedes Arrest
Guzman was discovered on Battersea Bridge in London at 6:15am on December 16 before jumping into the River Thames. She was pulled from the water and initially taken to a mental health hospital for treatment. The businesswoman was formally arrested on January 6 and currently remains in a Kent prison while extradition proceedings are underway.
Colombian television presenter Maria Elvira Aranga has claimed that Guzman jumped into the river in an attempt to evade police who had approached her to inform her she was wanted in Colombia. According to Aranga, authorities intercepted Guzman as she was carrying a package she intended to leave somewhere, prompting her desperate escape attempt.
Complex Extradition Process Begins
Guzman appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 6 where she was remanded in custody after refusing to be extradited to Colombia. A case management hearing has been scheduled for February 9 as the legal process continues. Colombian authorities have expressed confidence that Guzman will eventually return to her home country to face the allegations against her.
The suspect has consistently denied poisoning the girls, stating in an interview: "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."
Additional Investigations and Questioning
While Guzman remains the only formal suspect accused of the poisoning, Colombian authorities have called in another woman for questioning who allegedly handed the package containing the raspberries to a delivery driver. This individual has protested her innocence and claims to have been a victim of identity theft.
Separately, investigators in Colombia are examining the 2021 death of Juan de Bedout's late wife, Alicia Graham Sardi, who passed away after being re-diagnosed with cancer. A former family doctor has revealed that tests showed inexplicably high levels of thallium in her body after she began experiencing hair loss and severe leg pain.
Guzman's son is believed to be studying at a private school in the United Kingdom, adding another layer of complexity to the international case that has captured attention on both sides of the Atlantic.
