WARNING, DISTRESSING CONTENT: María Camila Potosí was eight months pregnant when she disappeared after a routine antenatal check in Cali, Colombia – her body was later found with her baby missing
María and her unborn baby died(Image: Jam Press)
The tiny remains of an unborn girl have been discovered after a pregnant mum was brutally killed with her stomach sliced open. María Camila Potosí, who was eight months pregnant, vanished after leaving for a routine antenatal appointment on 16 July.
The victim was discovered wrapped in bedsheets, tied hand and foot, with numerous stab wounds and evident signs of torture. Her body was located on the banks of the Meléndez River in Cali City, Colombia, on 20 July.
The baby had been torn from her womb and was nowhere to be found, as reported by NeedToKnow. Police uncovered the remains of an unborn girl in woodland close to where the mother’s body was discovered yesterday (30 Jul).
Video grab from the gender reveal party(Image: Jam Press)
They presently believe the tiny body belonged to María’s daughter, who was to be called Alahia.
Forensic specialists must still verify the baby’s identity. María’s family had been desperately hoping the infant had somehow survived the horrific attack.
Mum Alba Ruby Gómez said: “They told me the baby was not in her body. That filled me with hope she was alive.”
After the remains were found, she added: “We weren’t expecting this. It hit us like a bucket of cold water.”
María Camila Potosí was found dead(Image: Jam Press)
CCTV footage captured María’s final movements on the day of her disappearance. She climbed onto the back of a motorcycle ridden by a woman she met two months earlier through a local support scheme for pregnant women.
Five people have now been arrested including the woman who rode the motorbike. Police said she built the victim’s trust over weeks. The gang is accused of meticulously planning the abduction and murder.
One individual allegedly masterminded the kidnapping, while two others executed the killing. A fourth member is said to have disposed of the mother’s body.
CCTV footage captured María’s final movements (Image: Jam Press)
Two out of the five were reportedly already in the process of securing passports to escape the country. They now face charges of aggravated femicide, kidnapping and forced disappearance.
One of the suspects provided the police with the precise location in the woods. Initial examinations suggest the infant passed away around the same time as her mother.
Mayor Alejandro Eder stated: “This is news I would not want to give. Today the baby of María Camila was found dead.
The scene where baby was found(Image: Jam Press)
“This is a moment of pain for the family and the whole city.”
He called for severe punishment for those held accountable. President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella declared the murderers “do not deserve to be called human”.
He pledged harsher sentences to ensure they never taste freedom again. The investigation is ongoing.
