Cali, Colombia. The murder of María Camila Potosí, a 21-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant, has caused shock in Colombia due to the extreme violence with which it was committed and the numerous questions that still surround the investigation.
The young woman disappeared on July 16, after leaving her sister-in-law’s house in the southwest of Cali to confirm an appointment related to a prenatal exam. Before leaving, she sent a message indicating that she had to carry out that medical errand. Security cameras captured her for the last time getting on a motorcycle driven by a woman whose identity and involvement in the events are under investigation.
Four days later, on July 20, her body was found on the banks of the Meléndez River, near the La Buitrera district. According to preliminary reports, she was tied up, showed signs of torture, and had multiple sharp-force injuries. The autopsy also revealed that the baby she was expecting was no longer in her womb, a finding that increased national shock and opened new lines of investigation.
Since then, the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Colombian Attorney General’s Office and the National Police have been working to reconstruct the victim’s last movements and determine the motive for the crime.
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The woman on the motorcycle, main focus of the investigation
The authorities are focusing much of their efforts on identifying and locating the woman who picked up María Camila on a motorcycle. The victim’s relatives claim that this person has offered contradictory versions of what happened that day.
Among the known versions, it is suggested that he took María Camila to buy a traditional drink, then to a baby supply store, and even to a health center, where he allegedly left her alone. However, none of these explanations have been officially confirmed by the authorities.
Investigators are also seeking to establish whether both women met through a support program for pregnant women linked to the Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF), as some family members maintain.
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The baby’s fate remains a mystery
One of the most disturbing aspects of the case is the whereabouts of the baby María Camila was expecting. So far, the authorities have not officially confirmed what happened to the fetus or if there was an attempted extraction for criminal purposes.
Although relatives have publicly raised the hypothesis that the crime could have been related to the theft of the baby, investigators insist that all lines of inquiry remain open and that there is still no definitive conclusion regarding the motive for the murder.
They demand justice
The crime has generated a wave of indignation in Colombia. Relatives, social organizations, and women’s rights advocacy groups have held vigils, masses, and demonstrations to demand that the case does not go unpunished.
The murder also reignited the debate on gender-based violence in the country. Various organizations have pointed out that María Camila’s femicide reflects the persistence of extreme violence against women and have called for strengthening measures for the prevention, protection, and investigation of these crimes.
So far, the authorities have not reported any arrests related to the case and are keeping investigations open to fully clarify the facts and find those responsible.
