Woman Accused of Poisoning Two Schoolgirls With Chocolate-Covered Berries Fights Extradition Over ‘Brutal’ Prison Conditions

A woman accused of orchestrating the deaths of two teenage schoolgirls with poisoned chocolate-covered raspberries is fighting extradition from the United Kingdom to Colombia, arguing that she could face dangerous and inhumane prison conditions if sent back. Zulma Guzmán Castro, 55, is wanted by Colombian authorities over a poisoning case that shocked the country and left two young families devastated.

The case dates back to April 2025, when two schoolgirls, Ines de Bedout, 14, and Emilia Forero, 13, became seriously ill after eating chocolate-covered raspberries delivered to a home in Bogotá. The fruit was allegedly contaminated with thallium, a highly toxic chemical. Both girls later died, while other children who consumed the poisoned berries also became ill. Investigators believe the delivery was part of a carefully planned revenge plot allegedly connected to Castro’s former relationship with Ines’s father, financier Juan de Bedout.

Prosecutors allege that Castro arranged for the poisoned fruit to be delivered to the family. Investigators reportedly uncovered evidence linking her to the delivery, including payment information associated with a delivery application, phone-location data and deleted internet searches involving thallium. Authorities also examined her movements around the time of the poisoning. However, these allegations have not been proven in court, and Castro denies responsibility for the deaths.

Her journey to the United Kingdom added another extraordinary chapter to the investigation. After leaving Colombia, Castro became the subject of an international search. In December 2025, she was rescued from the River Thames in London by an RNLI lifeboat crew. She was subsequently taken for medical assessment and later arrested by British authorities on January 6, 2026, following an extradition request from Colombia. Colombian prosecutors are seeking to bring her before a court on murder and attempted-murder allegations.

Now, Castro’s legal team is challenging the extradition request, raising concerns about the conditions she could face in Colombian detention facilities. Her lawyers argue that Colombia’s prison system is experiencing a serious crisis and that there are unanswered questions about where she would be held while awaiting trial. Colombian authorities have reportedly provided assurances that her rights and detention conditions would be protected, but the defense maintains that those guarantees need to be examined carefully before she is sent back.

The extradition proceedings at Westminster Magistrates’ Court are continuing, with the court considering the competing arguments from both sides. For the families of Ines and Emilia, the case represents a long and painful search for accountability after two teenagers lost their lives in circumstances that investigators believe involved deliberate poisoning. But until the allegations are tested in a Colombian courtroom, Castro remains accused rather than convicted. The legal battle in Britain will determine whether she can be returned to Colombia to face the charges.

Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/40897266/poison-berry-woman-fights-extradition-brutal-jail-conditions/