Additional Coverage:
- Woman raised by monkeys in jungle was terrified seeing her reflection for first time (themirror.com)
A woman who spent part of her childhood living among monkeys after being abducted in Colombia has shared the harrowing and extraordinary story of her survival. Marina was just four years old when trafficking gangs kidnapped her near her home and left her abandoned in a dense rainforest.
Her earliest memory is a frightening one: playing with peapods before suddenly being grabbed from behind and having her face covered. The next morning, she woke up surrounded by the wilderness-and a group of black and white capuchin monkeys.
“At first, I was very upset,” Marina recalled. “One monkey came close, then others followed.
They stared at me, touched me, even popped my ears.” Though initially wary, the monkeys gradually warmed to her, climbing onto her shoulders and playing with her hair.
This connection brought Marina much comfort during her isolation, especially as days stretched without any sign of rescue.
Remarkably, Marina survived up to seven years in the jungle by drinking water from natural sources, eating seeds, and scavenging leftover food from the monkeys. She adapted to their ways, learning to communicate through whistles and screeches that signaled food or danger. The younger monkeys even helped groom her, removing insects and debris from her hair.
One pivotal moment came when Marina found a broken piece of mirror in the forest. Seeing her reflection for the first time was a shock.
“I didn’t recognize my face,” she said. “I thought, I’m not like a monkey.
I felt confused.” The mirror became a treasured reminder of her humanity, even as she grew close to the animals around her.
Her bond with the monkeys was profound. On one occasion, after falling ill from eating the wrong seeds, an older monkey gently helped her by pulling her into a shallow puddle to drink water.
“When I looked into his eyes, I realized he didn’t want to hurt me. That moment felt special,” she reflected.
Eventually, Marina’s jungle life came to an end when she encountered hunters. A woman’s smile led her toward safety, but she was quickly seized by a man and taken to a brothel in Cucuta, Colombia.
She escaped but then lived homeless on the streets for some time until a couple from Bradford, England, took her in. With no trace of her original family, Marina was raised by this new family in the UK.
Now in her mid-70s, Marina is married with two daughters and two grandchildren. She candidly shared how difficult it was to “become human again”-initially struggling with everyday tasks like opening doors and using utensils. Learning to trust people was her greatest challenge.
Despite doubts from others and lacking formal education, Marina has defied the odds. “Some people in Colombia never thought I’d survive or live a normal life,” she said. “I just tried to do my best and be a good person.”
Today, her family flourishes: her grandson recently graduated from Manchester University studying film, and her granddaughter is attending college. Marina expressed deep gratitude for her family and the life she has built.
Her remarkable journey from a child lost in the jungle to a loving mother and grandmother is a powerful testament to resilience and hope.