A father’s heartache runs deep as he mourns Emilia Forero, a 13-year-old girl who died after eating poisoned raspberries, amid a high-stakes hunt for the person responsible. Pedro Forero, Emilia’s father, has shared a profoundly emotional tribute to his daughter, expressing disbelief at how someone could commit such an act against a child who had so much ahead of her in life.
Two teenagers fell ill after consuming chocolate-covered raspberries laced with thallium, a colorless and odorless heavy metal that can be fatal in tiny amounts. News of Emilia’s death arrived alongside a photo of her as a baby, shared by her devastated father in a message that underscores the unimaginable pain of losing a child.
In the days before prosecutors identified a suspect, Pedro reflected on the life that Emilia began fourteen years ago—a life filled with hopes, dreams, and potential. He spoke of how this tragedy has stolen not only his daughter’s future as a partner, mother, and professional, but also the father-daughter bond and the many roles he hoped to share with her in the years to come.
According to reports, the raspberries were delivered to a luxury apartment on April 3, where Emilia and her friend were staying after school. The girls initially hesitated to open the package, thinking it was unexpected, before eventually consuming the tainted fruit.
In a moving social-media post paired with Emilia’s baby photo, Pedro wrote about the enduring love he feels for his daughter, the void her loss has created, and the wish for one more hug, even if only in dreams. He also expressed sorrow for not being able to shield her from the harsh world she faced.
An Interpol Red Notice was issued for Zulma Guzman Castro, a businesswoman accused of having a role in the girls’ deaths. Prosecutors have alleged that Castro, who reportedly fled Colombia for Argentina and later traveled to Brazil, Spain, and the United Kingdom, may have deliberately poisoned the raspberries. Forensic analysis indicated thallium was used to kill the two girls, with authorities suggesting the poison’s notoriety is tied to high-profile cases like the poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko in 2006.
Investigators have floated the possibility that this case could involve a crime of passion, noting that Castro allegedly had an extramarital relationship with Ines de Bedout’s father, Juan de Bedout. Questions remain as to whether the death of Juan’s wife, two years prior, might be connected to the ongoing investigation, with some local outlets hinting at the possibility of a second poisoning linked to thallium.
Castro denies the accusations and remains at large, with the Red Notice calling on police in 196 Interpol member countries to locate and detain her. Her current whereabouts are unknown.
The two girls who died were taken to Bogota’s Santa Fe de Bogota Foundation, a leading hospital, where they passed away within days of ingesting the contaminated raspberries. A third person—an additional friend who was with them and a 21-year-old brother—survived the incident, though they required hospitalization. The survivor is reported to have suffered lasting injuries.
Reports describe how the fruit dessert was delivered via a courier service around 7:00 p.m. local time, with a delivery man saying the package was handed to him by a friend of the fugitive, who claimed it was a gift for the girls. Castro, described as a longtime acquaintance of Ines de Bedout’s family and the founder of the car-sharing company Car-B, is alleged to have known the girls’ daily routines and to have been aware of Emilia’s fondness for chocolate-covered raspberries.
In a message that later appeared in a Colombian newspaper, Castro claimed she was being accused of sending poison that killed two girls and suggested she had not fled Colombia at all, insisting she had been working in Argentina and studying journalism in Spain. She also hinted at a secret relationship with one of the girls’ fathers, while asserting prosecutors had not properly informed her about the investigation.
Following Emilia’s death, Pedro urged mourners to wear bright colors to the funeral, preferring celebrations of life over solemn black attire. He has since surfaced publicly with a poignant reminder of the daughter he loved deeply and the irreplaceable role she played in his life, inviting friends and family to honor her memory with warmth, gratitude, and love.
The case continues to unfold as authorities pursue leads and seek justice for Emilia and her friend, while the community grapples with the shocking crime and its far-reaching consequences.
