In 2000, Alejandra, then 17 years old, married Arturo. The couple longed for a child, but multiple miscarriages put Alejandra under great pressure. In 2009, after her third miscarriage, she decided to fake a pregnancy.
Alejandra researched pregnancy symptoms, intentionally ate to gain weight, feigned nausea, and used ultrasound images from her workplace to show her family. She informed colleagues, wore maternity clothes, and friends organized a baby shower for her.
A few months later, Alejandra's health declined. At the hospital, a doctor confirmed a fetal heartbeat with a stethoscope, granting her 90 days of maternity leave. This blurred the line between her imagination and reality.
"I wish someone had shattered that illusion", she recounted. According to a psychologist, Alejandra had a tendency towards dissociation, confusing imagination and reality due to the pressure of becoming a mother.
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Alejandra recounts her story in the documentary. Photo: Netflix |
On her due date, Alejandra told her husband to come to the hospital for a C-section but asked him to arrive late. There, she met Mayra, a woman who had just given birth to a daughter but was suffering from fever and infection. Taking advantage of Mayra asking her roommate to watch her baby while she went to the restroom, Alejandra picked up the child, put her in a gift bag, and left. About six hours later, police arrived at her home and arrested her.
During the investigation, Alejandra claimed she had a prior agreement with Mayra to care for the child, but the mother denied it. Mayra stated that Alejandra had previously posed as a social worker to gain access to the treatment area.
That year, Alejandra was sentenced to 13 years and 4 months in prison for child abduction. Her husband Arturo was initially detained but later acquitted.
Currently, Alejandra has completed her prison sentence. The girl who was abducted is now 16 years old and living healthily. However, Mayra said she still lives in fear and once dared not let her daughter attend a party. "I don't think I'll ever forgive her", Mayra said.
As for Alejandra, after a period of separation and having a son with another woman, Arturo returned to her. "He said he missed me and wanted me by his side. I decided to try again", she recounted. Alejandra said she was happy that Arturo was content in his role as a father and considered her the mother of his son.
Alejandra's story was recently featured in a documentary by Oscar-nominated director Maite Alberdi, following four years of research.
Nhat Minh (According to Metro)
