A 54-year-old woman, Zulma Guzman Castro, has been detained pending an extradition hearing for charges of murder and attempted murder in Colombia. Guzman Castro, who was arrested in London, appeared in Westminster Magistrates’ Court after allegedly poisoning two teenage girls with a toxic substance found in raspberries, resulting in their deaths. She was discovered in the River Thames near Battersea Bridge last month and was taken into custody following her discharge from a hospital.
During her court appearance, Guzman Castro, dressed in a black jacket and a white-and-black striped top, confirmed her identity but refused consent for extradition. The prosecution informed the court that she had been previously detained under the Mental Health Act and was apprehended by police after leaving the hospital on Tuesday.
The Metropolitan Police reported that Guzman Castro was rescued from the river by the Marine Policing Unit and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. District Judge Sarah Turnock ordered her to remain in custody until a case management hearing scheduled for January 12.
The National Crime Agency’s Extradition Unit arrested Guzman Castro in the W10 area of London. She is set to face the extradition proceedings in Westminster Magistrates’ Court.