Argentine Nurse Sentenced Life Prison Killing Five Newborns

Brenda Cecilia Aguero, a nurse at the Maternal and Child Hospital in Córdoba, Argentina, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of five newborns and the attempted murder of eight others through the injection of potassium and insulin between March and June 2022. The babies, all born healthy, died under initially unexplained circumstances, with eight others surviving due to swift medical intervention. Under Argentine law, Aguero must serve at least 35 years before becoming eligible for parole. The trial also involved 10 other defendants, including former provincial health officials and hospital staff, who faced charges of cover-up and negligence; five were convicted and given lesser sentences, while five, including former top health officials, were acquitted. Aguero denied the charges throughout the trial, claiming lack of evidence and accusing the media of portraying her as a serial killer. The case drew significant attention in Argentina due to its unprecedented nature and the involvement of high-level officials in alleged cover-ups.