Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: CEN
This is the dramatic moment police save a suicidal young woman from throwing herself off a ‘cursed’ bridge where a young mum jumped to her death with her 10-year-old son in her arms earlier this year.
An eyewitness with a smartphone filmed the latest attempted suicide at the 100 metre (330 ft) high La Variante Bridge in the city of Ibague in the central-western Colombian department of Tolima.
The footage shows the young woman hanging over the side of the incomplete structure, hanging onto two metal rods in the concrete, as a police officer tries to talk her out of jumping to her death.
Pictures Credit: CEN
The man can be heard telling the woman her family is waiting for her at home but she repeatedly shakes her head and appears intent on killing herself.
The police officer says: “We love you, we love you so much, we want to help you, let yourself be helped”, but the woman starts to climb over the edge as he adds: “Don’t do that, what do you need? Hold my hand.”
The woman, whose name has not been released, then climbs right over the side of the bridge as another cop shouts: “I’m going over”, and jumps into action.
He leaps over the parapet and grabs hold of the woman’s hand to prevent her from jumping despite the fact he is in danger of being pulled over the edge himself by the woman’s weight.
Several colleagues rush to his aid, grabbing hold of the man and each other, and then haul the young woman to safety. She is now being treated at a psychiatric unit in the city. It is unclear why she wanted to jump.
Pictures Credit: CEN & CEN/@ondas1470 & CEN/Twitter
La Variante Bridge made international headlines in February when Jessy Paola Moreno Cruz, 32, jumped to her death holding her 10-year-old son May Nicolas Ceballos Moreno in her arms.
Police officers and paramedics tried desperately to talk her out of jumping but they were unsuccessful and both mother and son were tragically killed.
Ms Moreno Cruz had recently broken up with her boyfriend and had been forced to leave her rented room with her son because she could not pay her debts.
Since then, a number of other people have reportedly threatened to jump from the bridge and security has been stepped up.
Local media reports that some church leaders and residents believe there are demons under the bridge which are convincing people to jump.
Pastor Sandra Sanchez said: “I do believe there are demons there. There are people who said those demons and other spirits are calling them and speak into their ears.”
Pastor Sanchez said a team of paranormal experts also claimed to have felt an evil presence at the bridge.
The number of suicides in the city of Ibaque has reportedly risen by 12.9 percent in the 12 months to last September.
