A grieving father has honored the memory of his teenage daughter, who allegedly succumbed to poisoned chocolate-covered raspberries in Colombia.

The tragic event involves Zulma Guzman Castro, a businesswoman accused of fatally poisoning two schoolgirls by lacing the fruit with thallium, a tasteless and odorless heavy metal. Reports suggest this was an “act of vengeance” following a clandestine affair with one of the victims’ fathers.

The two young girls, 14-year-old Ines de Bedout and her 13-year-old friend Emilia Forero, reportedly passed away in the hospital just days after consuming the tainted sweets.

Castro, however, has strongly refuted the allegations, asserting that reports of her fleeing Colombia are unfounded. In a statement, she clarified, “Those who know me understand that I haven’t fled anywhere. I’ve been working in Argentina and have begun a master’s program in journalism here.”

Meanwhile, a heart-wrenching social media post from Emilia’s father, Pedro Forero, has surfaced, sharing his profound sorrow and revealing the first public image of the young girl.

Pedro, speaking shortly before it emerged Colombian prosecutors have a suspect for the horror crime, said: ‘Fourteen years ago, a life of hopes, joys and dreams began; a life that filled a family, a father and a mother. 

‘But it wasn’t just the joy of someone else’s life; it was the beginning of the life of an excellent human being who had dreams, hopes and goals.

‘As a father, it is incomprehensible to think that someone was capable of taking this away.

Ines de Bedout, 14, and her close friend Emilia Forero (right), 13, tragically died in hospital just days after eating the sweet treat, reports say

An agonising social media post published by Emilia’s devastated father Pedro Forero emerged overnight as the youngster was pictured for the first time

Zulma Guzman Castro is alleged to have spiked the fruit with a deadly substance as an ‘act of vengeance’ after a secret affair with the father of one of the victims

‘She did not just take away my dreams, my desires and my prospects in life as a father; she did not just take away my opportunity to be a father-in-law, grandfather and everything else one can be as a parent. 

‘She took away my daughter’s opportunity to be a girlfriend, a professional, a wife, a mother and a daughter.’

The girls were reportedly spending time at a swanky apartment in Bogota, Colombia, with an older brother and another friend after school when they ate the fatal desert, said to have been laced with the highly dangerous poison.

The colourless, odourless and tasteless substance is commonly used in the manufacturing of electronics, optical lenses, semiconductors, alloys and radiation detection equipment, according to Medscape.

It was allegedly injected directly into the raspberries before being sent to the girls on April 3 this year. Ines and Emilia are reported to have died four days later, according to El Colombiano.

In a gut-wrenching message alongside a photo of Emilia as a baby, Forero added: ‘Daughter, you will always be the greatest love I could ever feel as a father. 

‘No girlfriend or wife could ever generate the love I felt when I had you, and I will carry this love with me until the last day of my life.

‘I love you and will love you for the rest of my life. I miss you. I am sorry I could not protect you from this broken world.

‘Despite the pain, I am glad to have had you in my life. I hope to have one last hug from you, even if it is only in my dreams.’

Prosecutors claim Castro used a courier firm to deliver the deadly desert.

Since then, investigators in Colombia have been working to determine how the teenagers died, before prosecutors called in Interpol to help arrest Castro who was reportedly having an affair with Ines’ father, Juan de Bedout.

Local media claims the businesswoman, who founded an electric car rental company named Car B, may have poisoned the girls in a calculated bid to take revenge on her former lover.

Local media claims the businesswoman, who founded an electric car rental company named Car B, may have poisoned the girls in a calculated bid to take revenge on her former lover

Pedro said his daughter, will always be the ‘greatest love’ he could ever feel as a father

In a statement shared with local media on Friday, she said: ‘I find myself in the middle of a very serious situation, where I’m being accused of having been the person who sent a poison that killed two girls.

‘They accuse me of having fled to Argentina, and then to Brazil, Spain and the UK. 

‘Those who know me know I haven’t fled anywhere. They know I’ve been working in Argentina and began a masters in journalism here.

‘I went to Spain more than a month ago, with a stopover in Brazil, and then to the UK because of my son. 

‘I imagine they’re accusing me because I had a secret relationship with the father of one of the girls.

‘Public prosecutors have never informed me about any investigation and I sent a lawyer friend of mine yesterday to ask, because I heard rumours people were talking about me.

‘The following day my name is in the media. I hope those that know me support me and defend me.’

Another teenage girl who ate the poisoned raspberries, along with the 21-year-old brother of one of the victims, were hospitalised following the incident seven months ago.

Both survived, but the girl is said to have suffered lasting health problems.

An Interpol Red Notice has now been issued, ordering police in its 196 member countries to locate and detain Castro, while her current whereabouts remain unknown.

The poison used was initially linked to the poisoning of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko who died in a London hospital in November 2006.