Berenice Gonzálvez Case: Prosecutors confirm abuse before her death

Victoria, Entre Ríos, Argentina - The death of Berenice Gonzálvez, who died after decompensating in the Entre Ríos town of Victoria, has taken a shocking turn. The team of prosecutors in charge of the investigation has confirmed that the young woman was the victim of sexual abuse before her tragic death. As a result of this revelation, two detainees, Esteban Daniel Castañeda and Zaira Barroso, face charges related to the supply of narcotics and sexual abuse, respectively.

Castañeda was charged with "supply of narcotic material, sexual abuse with carnal access aggravated by serious damage to the victim's physical health," while Barroso faces charges of "facilitation of sexual encounter in exchange for narcotic material." Prosecutors Iván Yedro and Omar Gamal Taleb continue working on the investigation, analyzing security cameras to determine if there were more people involved in the abuse.

Berenice's autopsy revealed that she died from cardiac arrest and that she had consumed drugs and alcohol. However, the cause of the injuries on her body is yet to be determined, since it has not been possible to establish whether they correspond to a sexual attack or a reaction during the incident. Justice awaits results of complementary studies to clarify whether the crime of femicide is also configured.

The episode began last Thursday night, when Gonzálvez entered a home at 700 Italia Street in Victoria and continued throughout the early hours of Friday, culminating with the young woman asking for help at a school and being taken to the local hospital.

Finally, the young mother died of cardiac arrest early Saturday morning at the San Martín de Paraná hospital.

Her departure leaves a 4-year-old child and great deep pain in her family. The community was moved by the tragedy, and this Monday (29th), family and neighbors demonstrated demanding justice for Berenice, holding marches in the city.