In a grim case that has shaken Argentina, nurse Brenda Cecilia Aguero has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the calculated killing of five newborns and attempted murder of eight others. The chilling crimes occurred between March and June 2022 at a maternal and child hospital in Córdoba Province, northwest of Buenos Aires.
Prosecutors revealed that Aguero injected the babies all born healthy with fatal doses of potassium and insulin, drawn from unsecured emergency medical carts. Her attacks were only thwarted in eight cases due to rapid medical intervention.
Aguero, who has remained defiant throughout, claimed the charges were baseless and blamed the media for painting her as a “serial killer.” However, after a detailed trial, the court found her guilty. She will be ineligible for parole for 35 years, per Argentine law.
Beyond Aguero, ten others were tried for cover-ups and negligence including the former provincial health minister and hospital director. Five were convicted with lighter sentences; five others, including top officials, were acquitted.
The case has ignited outrage nationwide, with calls for tighter controls in neonatal units and accountability in Argentina’s healthcare system.
