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Córdoba Neonatal Hospital baby deaths

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Between March and June 2022, unusually high infant mortality rates occurred at a neonatal nursing unit in the Ramón Castillo Neonatal Hospital in Córdoba, Argentina. A series of investigations initially pointed to a hospital-acquired infection or malpractice.[1]

After lengthy investigations indicated that five babies had been poisoned and eight others had suffered an assault, police arrested nurse Brenda Agüero, whom prosecutors later charged with five counts of "aggravated murder for applying the insidious method of potassium incompatible with life."[2] Agüero was later charged with eight other counts of attempted murder.[2][3][4]

The prosecution treats the case as one of a serial killer.[5]

The trial against nurse Agüero and 10 provincial officials began on 6 January 2025.[6]

Initial investigation

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In early June 2022, the provincial government intervened at the Ramón Castillo Neonatal Hospital after reports of healthy babies dying without cause.[1] Prosecutor Raúl Garzón labelled the case as "enormously grave" but initially indicated that they could have been either cases of malpractice or hospital-acquired infections,[1] and no accusations were made.[7] Nonetheless, Garzón ordered a search warrant on the hospital and relieved twenty employees from their duties.[1]

Police and prosecutors began to suspect that there had been foul play when no more deaths occurred after the suspension of those twenty employees.[8][1] On the same day that the hospital was searched, authorities suspended the head of the hospital.[8] The investigation was prompted by a doctor who refused to sign the death certificates of two healthy babies who died on the same day of June 2022; allegedly the two last babies to die from external cause (murder).[9]

As the search warrant was served, the prosecution asked for the exhumation of the remains of the deceased babies, whose autopsies showed abnormal levels of potassium, which medical investigators attributed to being deliberately injected to the babies, as said levels of potassium are not normally produced by the body.[10] Further investigations showed that the babies had not been injected with the potassium via IV method, but instead, that they had received the injections in their backs and with clothes on, while they were at the resuscitation room.[11]

On the same day that police announced the arrest of nurse Brenda Agüero, the minister of health of Córdoba, Diego Cardozo, resigned to his position after heavy criticism for his handling of the case. Cardozo said that he had presented his resignation with the goal of helping clarify and serve justice in the case. Governor Juan Schiaretti assigned the ministry to María Gabriela Barbás.[12]

In February 2023, the head of the hospital, 70-year-old Liliana Asís, was arrested and accused of concealing the unnatural deaths of the babies to the authorities. She was granted house arrest in May 2023 due to her deteriorating health while in prison.[13][14] Along with Asís, more officials and local politicians, were indicted for either concealment or wrongdoing.[14]

Hospital report

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After the hospital was intervened, the nursing personnel decided to conduct their own investigation, tracing clinical reports, inventory of pharmacological drugs, and the shifts taken by each nurse during the span of the deaths. Among the discoveries, the head of the pharmacy of the hospital found that there was a faulty report on 20 vials of potassium for the month of June, when three of the deaths occurred. Other nursing personnel reported that Brenda Agüero was raising suspicions among the nurses because of her odd behavior interacting with others, including that she volunteered to undress babies for their routinely check-up. This task was assigned to another nurse, and not to Agüero. Her colleagues also reported to police that Agüero usually dressed in long sleeves, including on hot summer days, coinciding with the prosecution's accusation.[15]

Criminological profile of the killer

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In February 2025, a group of criminologists from the Judicial Police presented a report on the deaths of the babies, assuring that they were a part of "serial criminality", and not accidental or natural deaths. The report stated that the perpetrator had access to the restricted unit of the neonatal unit, where most of the attacks occurred. It also said that the killer had access to medications, with a professional and medical knowledge of the handling of these drugs, and whose presence in the restricted unit would not raise any suspicion, for which their presence was justified. The report concluded that the perpetrator selected "extremely vulnerable" victims who did not oppose any resistance, for which they sought the perfect moment to inject an external agent into their bodies with the intent to cause harm and death.[16]

Further profiling was presented on 16 February by a medical professor and a social worker. They indicated that the perpetrator would have not stopped killing if they would have not been detained. The report further stated that there could have probably been a "cooling period", before undoubtedly continuing to kill.[17]

Arrest of Brenda Agüero

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On 20 August 2022, police announced the arrest of Brenda Cecilia Agüero (born 1995 in Río Ceballos, Córdoba Province);[18] a nurse who worked in the neonatal unit and who had been among the suspended personnel during the initial investigation.[19] Agüero lived with her mother and two sisters in the outskirts of Río Ceballos at the time of her arrest.[20]

Agüero graduated as a nurse with excelling results in 2018 and moved to Córdoba, where she worked at a private hospital between 2019 and December 2020, when she resigned to keep her only job at the Ramón Castillo Neonatal Hospital.[21] Agüero denied the accusations and abstained from testifying.[22]

Days after her arrest, Agüero was formally charged with five counts of "aggravated murder for applying the insidious method of potassium incompatible with life." and eight counts of attempted murder.[2] Agüero later accused a colleague of hers of the deaths, saying that this male nurse was present where the deaths occurred "all the time."[23]

Psychological profile

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Prior to the trial, the court ordered further psychological assessment for Agüero. The evaluating professionals determined that Agüero has a "self-centered personality", and that she seeks "recognition, power, and admiration", plus "lack of empathy and affection, with expressions of satisfaction from close contact with another person's suffering."[24]

The mental health professionals also found that Agüero has traits of a dissociative personality disorder, with one side of her personality being completely aware of reality, while the other side denies said reality and compensates it with the production of her own wishes. The same professionals stated that these traits are "typical mechanisms of a psychopathic personality."[24]

Pre-trial proceedings

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The first evidence that the prosecution introduced against Agüero, was immediately after her arrest, alleging that Agüero was behind every case, both deaths and decompensations, and that Agüero herself was in the place of the incidents, further alleging that she was the one who notified the doctors and other medical personnel that an emergency with a newborn was underway. On the same day that the prosecution introduced their first accusation, the court in charge of the pre-trial procedures, ordered psychiatric and psychological evaluations of Agüero, to later dictate pre-trial detention.[25]

In January 2023, the psychiatric evaluators determined that Agüero knows right from wrong and that she does not suffer from any mental disorder. The psychiatrists further argued that Agüero tried to "manipulate the interview" and that she has difficulties in regards to feeling what others do. After the evaluation, Agüero's indictment was confirmed.[26]

The prosecution alleged that in November 2021, Agüero searched on Google "how to dose potassium and insulin injections in newborns."[27] Agüero denied that she searched "how to apply potassium injections" in Google and alleged that she does not have the knowledge to perform such procedure.[23]

Another accusation argued that Agüero concealed the syringes with which she allegedly injected the babies with potassium, under her sleeves, with other medical personnel noting that she went to work with long-sleeved shirts even on hot summer days. According to prosecutor Garzón, Agüero did so as a modus operandi while she visited the resuscitation room with the newborns in arms.[11] In April 2023, the prosecution added the testimony of the mother of one of the babies who survived the assault. The woman personally accused Agüero and placed her at the side of her baby when the baby decompensated.[28]

On 9 August 2023, prosecutor Garzón said that the investigation had entered "its final phase," adding that his office had received reports from other two suspicious deaths of babies. Garzón also said that before going to trial, the prosecution would add more testimonies and witness evidence.[29]

On 23 August 2023, the prosecution released the results of the investigation of Agüero's cellphone, where investigators found nine PDF files. Among the nine files, the prosecution said that information was found on how to dose potassium, information related to cardiac arrests, numerous pages of neonatal medications, CPR manuals, and an article on how should medical personnel react to families grieving a newborn.[9] Agüero's defense argued that these files were not downloaded by Agüero herself, but instead, sent to her via WhatsApp.[9]

In September 2023, the prosecution added the analysis by a team of criminal profilers who determined that the killings were acts of serial murders and that a single perpetrator was behind them. Without mentioning Agüero, prosecutor Garzón said that the analysis will be a key to the cause, because the profilers also pointed to a person with access to the babies and who did not initially raise any suspicion.[30]

In late September 2023, prosecutor Raúl Garzón petitioned for the case to be taken to court for trial. The defense of Brenda Agüero announced that they would appeal the petition.[31]

Trial

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On 9 May 2024, control judge Juan Manuel Fernández López rejected Agüero's appeals against the prosecution's petition to take her to trial, and ordered that she stand trial on five counts of aggravated murder, as well as other eight counts of attempted murder.[32] Along with Agüero, judge Fernández López also ordered that 10 officials face trial at the same courtroom where Agüero will be tried.[33]

The trial against Brenda Agüero and the other ten defendants commenced on 6 January 2025. Agüero denied committing the crimes during her first testimony, saying that there is "no possibility that harming another person crosses my mind; much less a child."[34]

On 22 January, the mother of one of the babies who decompensated (a baby girl named Isabella), testified that she saw Agüero injecting her baby while the little girl was in the cradle. The woman said that the baby cried as Agüero injected her shortly before decompensating.[35]

On 30 January, medical professionals testified at the trial, saying that the babies did not die by a natural cause, and confirmed that the levels of potassium or insulin in their bodies were injected deliberately.[36]

On 4 February, a neonatal doctor testified that during her shift on 6 June 2022, when two healthy babies died without presumptive cause, she saw Brenda Agüero with a baby in her arms, and that Agüero told her that the baby "was not well". The baby later died from a serious case of bradycardia. The doctor also confirmed that the nature of the deaths of these healthy babies raised suspicions from the doctors who attempted to resuscitate them.[37]

Accused

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The following is the list of defendants in the ongoing trial:[33]

  • Brenda Agüero: accused of being a serial killer behind the murders.
  • Diego Cardozo: former health minister of Córdoba Province.
  • Liliana Asís: former head of the Neonatal Hospital.
  • Claudia Ringelheim: former vice-head of the Neonatal Hospital.
  • Alejandro Escudero Salama: former member of the chair of the Neonatal Hospital.
  • Blanca Alicia Ariza: former head of the nursing department of Neonatal Hospital.
  • Pablo Carvajal: former health secretary of the province.
  • Alejandro Gauto: lawyer and former member of the provincial health department.
  • Marta Gómez: former head of the neonatal unit of the hospital.
  • Adriana Morales: former doctor at the hospital.
  • María Alejandra Luján: former neonatologist at the hospital.

Victims

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The following list are the cases of either deaths or decompensations for which Agüero is being tried.[24]

# Initials or name Details Date
1 V.U.M. Survived, baby girl poisoned with potassium 18 March 2022
2 Francisco Calderón First murder. Poisoned with high levels of potassium 18 March 2022
3 Benjamín Luna Murdered. Undetermined method of poisoning 23 April 2022
4 F.A.B. Survived. Poisoned with high levels of potassium 24 April 2022
5 L.C.H. Survived. Poisoned with high levels of potassium 24 April 2022
6 I.V.F. Survived. Baby girl, poisoned with high levels of potassium 26 April 2022
7 G.H. Survived. Poisoned with potassium 1 May 2022
8 J.E.L. Survived. First case of poisoning with insulin 11 May 2022
9 Ibrahim B. Guardia Murdered. Poisoned, probably with insulin 23 May 2022
10 Angeline C. Rojas Murdered. Poisoned with high levels of potassium 6 June 2022
11 Melody Luz Molina Murdered. Poisoned with high levels of potassium 6 June 2022
12 M.E.T. Survived. Baby girl, poisoned with both, potassium and insulin 6 June 2022
13 D.P.M. Survived. Poisoned with high levels of potassium 6 June 2022

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Investigan la muerte de cinco bebés en el Hospital Neonatal de Córdoba: separaron a más de 20 empleados" [Deaths of five babies investigated in the Neonatal Hospital of Córdoba: more than 20 employees on leave]. Infobae (in Spanish). 11 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Neonatal: piden agravar la imputación a la enfermera Brenda Agüero" [Neonatal: more serious charges sought for nurse Brenda Agüero]. LMDiario (in Spanish). 14 March 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ^ "'Angel of death': Argentinian nurse arrested for murdering healthy newborns". WION. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Argentine nurse held in deaths of healthy babies: Prosecutor". Al Arabiya. AFP. 20 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  5. ^ "La enfermera sospechosa, con perfil de "asesina serial"" [The suspected nurse, with the profile of a "serial killer"]. elancasti.com (in Spanish). 6 August 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  6. ^ Vieyra, Iago (6 January 2025). "Comenzó el juicio a la enfermera acusada de ser una asesina serial de bebés: el macabro motivo que sospecha la Justicia" [Trial began for the nurse accused of being a serial killer of babies: the macabre motive suspected by the Justice]. Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  7. ^ "Qué se sabe hasta ahora sobre la muerte de bebés en el Hospital Neonatal de Córdoba" [What is known so far about the deaths of babies in the Neonatal Hospital of Córdoba]. CHEQUEADO.com (in Spanish). 18 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  8. ^ a b Origlia, Gabriela (11 August 2022). "Conmoción en Córdoba: investigan la muerte de 10 bebés en un hospital" [Commotion in Córdoba: more than 10 baby deaths investigated at a hospital]. La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Magnani, Rocío (23 August 2023). ""Potasio", "paro cardíaco" y "duelo": qué tenía en su celular la enfermera detenida por los bebés muertos en Córdoba" ["Potassium", "cardiac arrest" and "grief": what the cellphone of the nurse detained for the deaths of babies in Córdoba had]. Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Muerte de bebés en Córdoba: qué se sabe hasta ahora de la investigación en el hospital Materno Neonatal" [Death of babies in Córdoba: What is known so far about the investigation at the Maternal Neonatal hospital]. La Nación (in Spanish). 13 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Bebés muertos en Córdoba: para el fiscal, la enfermera les inyectaba potasio con la ropa puesta y por la espalda" [Dead babies in Córdoba: for the prosecutor, the nurse injected the potassium with clothes on and in the back]. Clarín (in Spanish). 13 November 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. ^ "Muerte de bebés en Córdoba: renunció el ministro de Salud, Diego Cardozo" [Deaths of babies in Córdoba: Minister of health Diego Cardozo resigned]. Página/12 (in Spanish). 20 August 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Detuvieron a la exdirectora del Hospital Neonatal de Córdoba por las muertes de cinco bebés" [Former head of the Neonatal Hospital in Córdoba arrested for the deaths of five babies]. Télam (in Spanish). 24 February 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  14. ^ a b "La ex directora del Hospital Neonatal accedió a la prisión domiciliaria" [The former head of the Neonatal Hospital granted house arrest]. LMdiario (in Spanish). 15 May 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  15. ^ Chuit Roganovich, Roberto (25 April 2024). "La luz infinita, una crónica sobre los cinco bebés asesinados en el Hospital Materno Neonatal" [The infinite light, a chronicle about the five murdered babies at the Neonatal Maternal Hospital]. La Tinta (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Neonatal: se presentó un perfil criminológico que afirma que hay asesinatos en serie" [Neonatal: A criminological profile assures that there were serial murders]. Telefe Noticias (in Spanish). 11 February 2025. Retrieved 12 February 2025.
  17. ^ Origlia, Gabriela (16 February 2025). "Muerte de bebés en Córdoba: "Si el autor no hubiera sido detenido, no hubiera parado", afirmaron dos expertas en el juicio" [Death of babies in Córdoba: "If the perpetrator would have not been detained, wouldn't have stopped"]. La Nación (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  18. ^ Herman, Gonzalo (7 January 2025). "Quién es Brenda Agüero, la enfermera y principal acusada por el asesinato de cinco bebés en Córdoba" [Who is Brenda Agüero, the nurse and main suspect in the murder of five babies in Córdoba]. Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 February 2025.
  19. ^ "Quién es Brenda Agüero, la enfermera detenida por el asesinato de los bebés en Córdoba" [Who is Brenda Agüero?, the nurse arrested for the murder of babies in Córdoba]. Página/12 (in Spanish). 21 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  20. ^ "La peor confirmación sobre los bebés muertos en Córdoba y la enfermera" [The worst confirmation about the dead babies in Córdoba and the nurse]. Mendoza Post (in Spanish). 22 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Bebés asesinados en Córdoba: el perfil de Brenda Agüero, la enfermera acusada de matarlos y la nueva pista de un grupo de Whatsapp" [Babies murdered in Córdoba: the profile of Brenda Agüero, the nurse accused of killing them and the new clue of a WhatsApp group]. INFOVELOZ (in Spanish). 6 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Neonatal: la enfermera Brenda Agüero negó las acusaciones" [Neonatal: nurse Brenda Agüero denied the accusations]. El Diario de Córdoba (in Spanish). 13 December 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  23. ^ a b "La enfermera acusada de asesinar a cinco bebés en Córdoba rompió el silencio y apuntó contra un compañero" [The nurse accused of killing five babies in Córdoba broke silence and accused a colleague]. TN (in Spanish). 26 December 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  24. ^ a b c Vieyra, Iago (4 February 2025). "Muerte de bebés en Córdoba: uno por uno, qué pasó con cada recién nacido y cuál habría sido el rol de la enfermera" [Deaths of babies in Córdoba: one by one, what happened to each newborn and what was the alleged role of the nurse]. Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  25. ^ Romero, María Ester (11 September 2022). "La investigación pone foco en movimientos y actitudes de la enfermera Brenda Agüero" [The investigation focuses on the movements and attitudes of the nurse Brenda Agüero]. Perfil (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  26. ^ "Las pericias complicaron a la enfermera acusada por la muerte de cinco bebés en Córdoba" [The evaluations complicated the nurse accused of the deaths of five babies in Córdoba]. TN (in Spanish). 19 January 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  27. ^ ""Cómo dosificar potasio": la búsqueda de Google que complica a la enfermera acusada de matar bebés en Córdoba" ["How to dose potassium": the Google search which complicates the nurse accused of killing babies in Córdoba]. Perfil (in Spanish). 31 October 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Muerte de bebés en el Hospital Neonatal de Córdoba: la mamá de una nena que sobrevivió complicó a la enfermera" [Deaths of babies in the Neonatal Hospital of Córdoba: the mother of a baby girl who survived complicated the situation of the nurse]. TN (in Spanish). April 2023. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  29. ^ Clariá, Miguel (9 August 2023). "Muertes de bebés en el Neonatal: a un año, la causa entra en su etapa final" [Deaths of babies in the Neonatal: one year on, the case enters in its final phase]. Cadena 3 (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Neonatal: Aseguran que los bebés fueron asesinados en serie y podría agravarse la situación de Brenda Agüero" [Neonatal: They assure that the babies were murdered in series and the situation of Brenda Agüero could be aggravated]. Radio Mitre (in Spanish). 19 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  31. ^ "Neonatal: la defensa de Brenda Agüero apelará la elevación a juicio" [Neonatal: Brenda Agüero's defense will appeal the elevation to trial]. CYJ (in Spanish). September 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  32. ^ Garbovetzky, Ary (10 May 2024). "Muertes de bebés. Neonatal: la suma de indicios que apunta contra Brenda Agüero" [Deaths of babies. Neonatal: the sum of clues that point against Brenda Agüero]. La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  33. ^ a b "Muerte de los bebés en el Hospital Neonatal de Córdoba: once acusados irán a juicio" [Deaths of babies at the Neonatal Hospital of Córdoba: eleven accused will stand trial]. INFOVELOZ (in Spanish). 9 May 2024. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
  34. ^ ""Nunca jamás le hice daño a nadie"" ["I never harmed anyone"]. Página 12 (in Spanish). 7 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  35. ^ Vieyra, Iago (22 January 2025). "Una madre del Neonatal de Córdoba declaró que vio a la enfermera Brenda Agüero pinchando a su hija" [A mother of the Neonatal of Córdoba declared that she saw nurse Brenda Agüero needling her daughter]. Infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  36. ^ "Peritos confirman ataques homicidas en el juicio del Neonatal" [Experts confirm homicidal attacks during the trial of the Neonatal] (in Spanish). Radio Estación. 30 January 2025. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
  37. ^ "Neonatal: una médica declaró haber visto a Brenda Agüero con una beba en brazos que "no estaba bien"" [Neonatal: a doctor declared that she saw Brenda Agüero with a baby girl in arms, and that she "was not well"]. La Nueva Mañana (in Spanish). 4 February 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
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