María Camila Potosí disappeared after a prenatal appointment, and investigators are examining her final movements and several possible suspects.
CALI, Colombia — Colombian authorities are searching for the baby of a 21-year-old woman who was eight months pregnant when she disappeared and was later found killed near a river in Cali, city officials and local news organizations reported.
María Camila Potosí was last seen July 16 after leaving for a prenatal appointment in the Polvorines area of southwestern Cali. Her body was found four days later near the Meléndez River along the road to La Buitrera. Authorities said she had suffered multiple stab wounds. Her baby was not found with her, according to information her family said it received after the autopsy.
The investigation has focused on reconstructing Potosí’s movements after her medical visit. Surveillance footage showed her riding as a passenger on a motorcycle driven by another woman. Potosí’s family said the two women had met through a program that supports pregnant women and families.
Relatives said Potosí believed she was going to collect gifts or other items for her expected child. Her family became concerned when she did not meet her partner as planned and stopped responding to calls. They searched hospitals and reported her missing before authorities located her body.
The woman seen driving the motorcycle has been questioned as part of the investigation, according to Colombian news reports. Some outlets reported that she was in authorities’ custody, but officials had not publicly announced criminal charges against her. Investigators have not established her guilt or released a final account of what happened after Potosí left the neighborhood.
Cali Metropolitan Police commander Gen. Herbert Benavídez said investigators were examining the possibility that more than four people participated in the crime. Police and prosecutors have reviewed surveillance recordings, conducted interviews and carried out searches while trying to determine who was involved and where the baby may have been taken.
The National Institute of Legal Medicine had not publicly issued a detailed statement about the baby as of Tuesday. Potosí’s mother said the family was told that the child was not found in her daughter’s body, giving relatives hope that the baby could still be alive. Authorities have not independently confirmed the child’s condition or whereabouts.
The case has generated demonstrations and public demands for answers in Cali. Family members and neighbors gathered to remember Potosí and urge authorities to find the baby. City officials condemned the killing and said the investigation was being handled as a serious case of violence against a woman.
Cali officials increased the reward to 200 million Colombian pesos for information that helps investigators identify those responsible and locate the child. Authorities also established a coordinated command post and deployed teams to distribute information and seek leads in several parts of the city.
Investigators have not announced a confirmed motive. One theory under examination is that Potosí may have been targeted because of her pregnancy, but authorities have not reached a final conclusion. Officials have also withheld some evidence to avoid interfering with searches, interviews and other judicial proceedings.
The investigation remained active Tuesday, with police and prosecutors continuing their search for the baby and anyone responsible for Potosí’s death. No final list of suspects or formal charges had been publicly confirmed by authorities.
Author note: Last updated July 28, 2026.