The mysterious death of Agostina Jalabert: Officials say suicide but family suspect 'femicide'
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO: A 31-year-old Argentine model has reportedly died after her sister found her in a bathtub with her hands bound and bruises all over her body. Agostina Jalabert's alleged death by suicide occurred on February 18 in her apartment in Playa Del Carmen, where she moved six months ago to advance her modeling career, according to the investigation by the Quintana Roo State Attorney General's Office.
However, a lawyer hired by Jalabert’s devastated family believes that her death was not a suicide as he has been in contact with Argentina's Foreign Ministry to pressure Mexican authorities into reclassifying the case as a femicide case. "The autopsy, according to the lawyer, reveals that this is a femicide due to the injuries my daughter has," Jalabert's father, Edgardo Jalabert, told Argentine news network TN, according to Daily Mail.
READ MORE
Who was Sofia Olifrenko? Model, 24, dies after MYSTERIOUS 60-foot fall from hotel balcony
How did Rachel Kaitlyn die? OnlyFans model, 25, tragically dies days before son's first Christmas
Why does Agostina Jalabert's family think her boyfriend killed her
Family lawyer Betina Teuly noted that they did not want to impede the inquiry but "there is sufficient evidence" to prove that Jalabert was killed by her boyfriend, Juan Reverter. Edgardo revealed that his daughter, the oldest of his three children, ended her relationship with Reverter in June 2021. At the time, her parents helped her move out of the apartment the couple shared. But, Agostina resumed her relationship with Reverter later in 2021 and he eventually moved in with her after paying her a visit over Christmas.
A gruesome discovery
Agostina’s dead body was found by her sister Candela Jalabert, 21, who joined her when she moved to Mexico in the summer. Candela reportedly visited Agostina’s apartment at around 7 am on February 18 when security told her that cops had been called to the apartment after neighbors reported screams coming from the home on two occasions. She frantically used a security code to try to access the flat, but it was denied. Candela then started banging on the door before Reverter answered her and claimed that Agostina was sleeping.
Candela was about to leave the apartment but Agostina’s dog caught her attention and guided her to the bathroom where she found her sister sitting in the bathtub with a towel wrapped around her hands. "This character said he was sleeping when Candela arrived and asked for his sister," Edgardo said. "The dog, Bruna, led her to the bathroom, and there they found Agostina hanging from the towel rack, sitting or semi-sitting, (three feet) from the floor."
'She despaired and tried to revive her'
Agostina's uncle, Germán Jalabert, told the online news portal Pagina 12 that he can’t believe his niece would have killed herself because she wasn't suicidal. "The towel rack was about (four feet) from the floor. It's hard to think that a person can hang from a height lower than their height," he explained. "Candela saw two or three blows, but she didn't stop there because seeing her sister in that situation, she despaired and tried to revive her."
He also criticized the Mexican authorities, claiming that their investigation process was filled with errors. "None of the basic protocols were applied to investigate and find out the real causes of his death," Germán Jalabert said. "The boyfriend was not arrested, his phone was not seized, nor were toxicological tests carried out, nor was it verified if he had any injuries."