In Chiriquí, a court declared a woman not guilty of faking a pregnancy and using a doll to pass it off as a dead baby. After three days of hearings, the Chiriquí Trial Court found 26-year-old Tahira Montero not guilty of charges of simulating a crime, slander in legal proceedings, and forgery. The verdict will be read on December 5, to explain the judges' reasoning for acquitting Montero. The reading of the verdict will close the process, one of the most talked-about in the province due to the unusual nature of the events that led to the investigation. Tahira Montero, who placed a doll in a coffin to simulate the body of her supposed deceased baby, bought the toy in a store on Via España and painted it at night to make it look more human. The alleged baby was said to have been born in the province of Panama, and its body was reportedly transferred to Chiriquí for burial. During the trial, the woman's sister looked her straight in the eye and said, 'Today I'm going to tell you that I never believed you.' It was also revealed that the woman participates in the evangelical religion. Later, it was reported that Montero informed them the newborn had died and gave them a doll to perform religious and funeral rites. The case originated from a complaint filed by 24-year-old Ducdiel Morales and his family, who claimed they had been deceived by a fake pregnancy. It should be noted that the events occurred in October 2023, when during the funeral, the baby's 'grandmother' opened the coffin and discovered it was a doll.
