The tiny remains of an unborn girl have been found after a pregnant mum was murdered with her stomach cut open.
María Camila Potosí, who was eight months pregnant, disappeared after leaving for a routine antenatal check on 16 July.
The victim was found wrapped in sheets, bound hand and foot, with multiple stab wounds and clear signs of torture.
READ MORE: Huge landslide crashes near viewing platform crammed with tourists
Her body was found on the banks of the Meléndez River in Cali City, Colombia, on 20 July.
The baby had been ripped from her stomach and was missing, as reported by Need To Know.
Police discovered the remains of an unborn girl in woodland near where the mother’s body was found yesterday (30 Jul).
They currently suspect the tiny body was María’s daughter, who was to be named Alahia.
Forensic experts must still confirm the baby’s identity.
María’s family had been clinging to hope the infant had somehow survived the horror 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.”
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 named her as Yulieth Angulo and said she built the victim’s trust over weeks.
The gang allegedly planned the kidnapping and murder.
One suspect coordinated the abduction while two others carried out the killing.
A fourth dumped the mother’s body.
Two of the five were already arranging passports to flee the country.
They face charges of aggravated femicide, kidnapping and forced disappearance.
One of the suspects gave the police the exact location in the woods.
Preliminary checks suggest the baby died around the same time as her mother.
Mayor Alejandro Eder said: “This is news I would not want to give.
“Today the baby of María Camila was found dead.
“This is a moment of pain for the family and the whole city.”
He demanded a strong punishment for those responsible.
President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella said the killers “do not deserve to be called human”.
He vowed tougher sentences so they never see freedom again.
The investigation continues.
READ MORE: Extreme eating influencer rescued after trying to climb mountain
