Sara Yuliana's long journey: seven months of surgeries and a family still waiting for justice

Sara Yuliana Zambrano Maya was just 15 years old when her life changed forever in an event that remains marked by pain, uncertainty, and the longing for justice. The teenager was the victim of an arson attack at an illegal perfume factory in Pasto, Nariño, where she was trapped along with another minor. Only Sara survived, though with devastating consequences: 80% of her body suffered severe burns.

The incident occurred on July 23, 2025. Seven months later, Sara remains hospitalized and has undergone more than 70 surgeries, battling recurring infections and an extremely complex medical process. Her family, meanwhile, reports that there has been no clear progress in the investigation and that those responsible remain free.

According to the account given by the minor to the authorities, that day she was contacted by a friend, Brayan, who offered her a temporary job at a perfume factory owned by his mother. The factory operated clandestinely and did not comply with legal regulations. In exchange for 15,000 pesos, Sara agreed to put up labels for a day, intending to buy a gift for her older sister, Luisa, who was turning 18 the next day.

Brayan's sister, also a minor, was at the establishment. However, the young man never arrived for work that day. According to Sara's testimony, hours later four teenagers—two boys and two girls, approximately 16 years old—entered the place and acted strangely. The young woman has reiterated her account both in person and online before the judicial authorities.

The four youths allegedly kicked containers of rubbing alcohol, spraying the flammable liquid on the two girls, and then set the place on fire. Afterward, they closed the door, trapping them inside. Sara recounted that while they screamed for help, the attackers laughed and prevented them from escaping.

The smoke that began to seep from a crack alerted the neighbors in the Madrigal neighborhood, who reported a fire. At that moment, Johana Maya, Sara's mother, was passing by on her way to catch a motorcycle taxi and witnessed the moment her daughter managed to escape. The teenager's body was engulfed in flames. Her mother managed to remove her shoes, the only part of her body from the waist down that wasn't burned.

The other minor who was there, Estefanía, died as a result of the fire. However, her family decided not to press charges. After the incident, the factory closed, and according to Sara's parents, she was transferred to another location. Brayan, the young man who contacted the teenager, disappeared from the family's circle and has not offered any explanation since.

Since Sara's admission to the hospital, her family has faced three simultaneous struggles: the girl's survival, the search for justice, and daily subsistence. Initially, she was treated in Pasto, but later had to be transferred to the University Hospital of Valle in Cali, where she has remained for seven months.

According to her father, Wilson Zambrano, the Prosecutor's Office initially classified the case as assault, a position the family vehemently rejects. "That's not true, this was attempted murder," he insists. To date, Sara has suffered four serious infections, undergone 71 surgeries, and no longer has enough skin available for further grafts.

Criminal lawyer Rafael Guillermo Calderón, who currently represents the family, stated that the Prosecutor's Office is investigating the role of each person involved, but denounced the lack of response from the 54th District Prosecutor's Office to formal requests for information and documentation of the case. The defense is also awaiting a comprehensive evaluation from the Institute of Legal Medicine to determine whether the case will be treated as attempted murder or assault.

The parents of the four accused teenagers filed a writ of habeas corpus to prevent their children from being publicly mentioned, a legal recourse that was unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the Zambrano Maya family's life has been completely disrupted. They sold all their belongings in Pasto and moved to Cali to be near Sara. Neither Johana nor Wilson can work, as they must care for her constantly. Luisa, the older sister, dropped out of school two months ago to help her parents. They currently survive on donations and live in a single room, while Sara remains hospitalized, her body covered in bandages.

At the end of January, the teenager had to be hospitalized again after several skin grafts detached, requiring her 71st surgery. In addition to medical treatments, Sara receives physical therapy and faces a complex emotional process as she adjusts to her new body image.

“Look at how I look, and they haven’t done anything,” she has told her family on several occasions, reflecting the frustration and pain that accompany her while justice continues to elude her.