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Travel influencer, 24, killed after pickup truck is swept away in terrifying river crossing

A 24-year-old travel influencer was killed after a pickup truck carrying a group of travelers was swept away while crossing a river in Nicaragua.

French traveler Emma Marie Laurent was one of three women who died after the vehicle was caught in strong currents following heavy rainfall, according to news agency Jam Press.

The group was traveling through El Manzano, a community in the northwestern department of Chinandega, when they attempted to cross the Nahualapa River at around 1 a.m. on Oct. 9, the same source reported.

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Recent rainfall had caused the river to rise, creating dangerous conditions before the vehicle attempted to cross.

The driver, identified as Mexican national Martin Gerardo García Girón, reportedly stepped out of the pickup to assess the water level before attempting the crossing, according to Jam Press.

The water reportedly came close to the driver's knees, but the current swept the pickup away and caused it to overturn.

The driver survived, though accounts have differed on whether other passengers also made it to safety, according to Jam Press. 

Authorities were investigating the circumstances surrounding the crossing.

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Nicaraguan co-President Rosario Murillo offered condolences to the victims' families following the deaths.

"This is a tragedy," Murillo said, according to reports. 

"We express our solidarity and our call to remain vigilant and, in the face of such tragedies, to express our full solidarity."

Murillo also warned about the dangers of crossing rivers during Nicaragua's rainy season.

"Rivers are deceptive; one thinks they are calm and, suddenly, the current comes, and we have tragedies like this that bring mourning to families," she said, according to Jam Press.

Laurent had developed an online following by sharing her travels around the world, including glimpses of life on the road from her van.

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She described herself as "your barefoot BFF" on Instagram, where she had nearly 43,000 followers at the time of her death, Jam Press reported.

Laurent appeared to have shared her final social media post on Oct. 2, uploading a video from a recent trip to Portugal.

In the post, she reflected on the importance of appreciating everyday moments.

"I think the most beautiful people, inside and out, are those who know how to admire the world around them," Laurent wrote in French.

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Following news of her death, social media users left messages of remembrance beneath the post.

"Gone far too soon," one person commented.

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"Condolences to the family," another user wrote.

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US dual citizen extradited to El Salvador, accused of killing son's mother and abandoning toddler: DOJ

A dual U.S.-Salvadoran citizen from California accused of murdering a woman in front of their toddler son before abandoning the child near her remains has been extradited to El Salvador to face charges, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced Thursday.

Michael Alejandro Castillo Murga, 27, of Beaumont, California, was handed over to Salvadoran authorities Wednesday to face charges of aggravated femicide and imperfect homicide in the 2019 killing.

The extradition marks the first time the U.S. has surrendered an American citizen to face prosecution for crimes committed in El Salvador, according to the DOJ. 

Castillo Murga holds dual U.S. and Salvadoran citizenship.

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Salvadoran authorities allege Castillo Murga picked up Melvi Fernanda Nájera Quezada, 23, and their son from her mother's home Jan. 31, 2019, supposedly to begin living together as a family.

Investigators allege he instead killed Nájera Quezada and abandoned their child near her body, which was discovered near a highway the next day. 

An autopsy determined she died from severe bleeding caused by cuts to her neck and other wounds inflicted with a plastic knife, according to the DOJ.

Farmworkers discovered the boy, who was younger than 2, several days later in a rugged area near where his mother's body was found. He was severely dehydrated and starving with cuts on his face, insect bites and signs of abuse, authorities said.

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Investigators linked Castillo Murga to the killing through cellphone location data and witness accounts. Authorities also said he sent his girlfriend a photograph showing bloodstains on his face and neck.

Prosecutors also accused Castillo Murga's grandmother and a lawyer of helping conceal evidence. According to the DOJ, the pair arranged for two people to clean blood from the interior and exterior of Castillo Murga's vehicle using water, car shampoo and vinegar, but they were unable to remove all the blood.

Castillo Murga escaped to Guatemala around Feb. 2, 2019, with assistance from his grandmother and lawyer before eventually entering the U.S., according to prosecutors.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING WIFE ON WEDDING NIGHT BROUGHT BACK TO US AFTER YEARS ON THE RUN IN MEXICO

U.S. Marshals arrested him in October 2024 in response to an extradition request from El Salvador.

Castillo Murga challenged his extradition in federal court, but a judge rejected his petition in November 2025 and denied a subsequent request to halt the transfer in September 2026.

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The secretary of state ultimately authorized his surrender, and U.S. Marshals transported him into Salvadoran custody Wednesday to face prosecution.

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