On the second day of the trial for the deaths of five newborns at the Materno Neonatal Hospital in Córdoba, Argentina, nurse Brenda Cecilia Agüero broke down in tears during the proceedings. According to La Nación, her defense attorney, former prosecutor Gustavo Nievas, stated that Agüero had a panic attack due to the "extremely abusive and stressful" situation she faced in court.
Agüero, a 27-year-old nurse born in 1995, is accused of injecting lethal doses of potassium and insulin into five newborns between March and June 2022, causing their deaths. She allegedly performed the same procedure on eight other infants, putting them in danger of death. La Voz del Interior reports that she faces charges of repeated qualified homicide and attempted homicide.
The accusations against Agüero stem from forensic examinations that determined the babies had received lethal doses of potassium, which is "lethal for any human being, especially for babies hours old," or other substances not part of their indicated treatments, as reported by La Nación. Autopsies revealed high levels of potassium incompatible with life in the deceased infants. Five of the attacked newborns died: Francisco, Benjamín, Ibrahim, Angeline, and Melody, while eight survived, some facing lasting effects.
Defense attorney Nievas has challenged the prosecution's case, asserting that his client is innocent and that the investigation was biased. "She is ontologically and truly innocent because there is no direct evidence against her," Nievas said, according to La Voz del Interior. He argued that Agüero was unjustly blamed while the real culprits hold positions of power, emphasizing that the trial will demonstrate that she "has nothing to do with it."
The trial includes testimonies from the mothers of the deceased and surviving babies, who are both witnesses and plaintiffs in the case. Family members of the victims attended the hearing, wearing white T-shirts with the slogan "Justice for the babies of the Neonatal," as reported by El País Uruguay. The atmosphere in the courtroom was tense, with relatives eagerly awaiting answers about the deaths and health deteriorations of their children.
During the trial, Agüero was expected to present an extensive testimony but began speaking at 9:40 AM with a shorter statement than originally planned, as reported by La Voz del Interior. Her lawyer, Nievas, indicated that she would not answer questions from the mothers' lawyer and emphasized that she is "unjustly detained." Agüero responded to the court's inquiries by providing personal details about her education and background but refrained from discussing the allegations in depth.
"I am innocent," Agüero maintained throughout the investigation, according to La Nación. She claims that she is imprisoned "for knowing what was happening" in the hospital and asserts that the evidence against her is insufficient. Agüero, who holds a technical degree in nursing, began studying law while in prison and engaged in activities like yoga and Pilates.
The trial, which began on Monday, is unprecedented in Argentina due to its complexity and the severity of the charges. La Nación notes that it includes not only Agüero but also ten former officials of the Ministry of Health of the Province of Córdoba, including ex-minister Diego Cardozo. Cardozo faces charges of aggravated concealment and failure to comply with duties as a public official. "I am innocent," he told journalists upon entering the courtroom wearing a mask due to undergoing oncological treatment.
Former hospital director Liliana Asís is also among the defendants, facing charges of aggravated concealment, ideological falsehood, and omission of duties as a public official, as reported by Perfil. She is currently under house arrest. The list of accused officials includes former head of Neonatology Marta Gómez, former head of Nursing Blanca Ariza, and former Legal Secretary of the Ministry of Health Alejandro Gauto.
Prosecutors Sergio Ruiz Moreno and Mercedes Ballestrini are leading the case, with judges Patricia Soria, José Daniel Cesano, and Laura Huberman presiding over the trial, according to La Voz del Interior. The proceedings are being held in a specially prepared main courtroom with space for 111 people, reflecting public interest in the case.
Prosecutor Ballestrini labeled Agüero as a "serial killer of babies" and stated that there was a "real story of terror," according to La Voz del Interior. "Licensed nurse Brenda Agüero is the one who carried out these homicides. She killed those babies and tried to do it with others," Ballestrini declared. The prosecution aims to demonstrate not only the intention of Agüero to kill the deceased babies but also the attempted murder of those who survived.
The defense, however, insists on Agüero's innocence. Nievas claimed that the deaths resulted from "generalized asepsis, because the neonatal hospital and specifically the obstetric center were filthy," trying to establish alternative explanations, as reported by Ámbito Financiero. He suggested that the babies did not all die of the same cause and implied that some deaths were due to congenital conditions or issues related to the mothers themselves.
As the trial unfolds, the families of the victims hope for justice and answers. "We are going to prove that the events were 13 criminal attacks against 13 newborns who enjoyed excellent health, perpetrated by the accused," said lawyer Ana Pagliano, representing the surviving babies, according to Página/12. "But we are also going to prove the responsibility of the officials who knew what was happening and did nothing."
The proceedings are expected to continue for several months, with a total of 78 hearings scheduled until June 30 and a preliminary list of 280 witnesses, according to Perfil. The trial marks a historic moment in Argentina's judicial system, being one of the most notable in the province due to the number of defendants and the application of the popular jury system.
Meanwhile, Agüero remains detained at Bouwer prison, where she has been held since August 19, 2022, after her house in Río Ceballos was raided. If proven guilty, she could face a life sentence for her alleged crimes against defenseless newborns. "Only life imprisonment is appropriate for her if the crimes are proven," El País Uruguay reports.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.