09/07/2026 09:15 - Judiciales
On July 8, 2026, the San Isidro Prosecutor's Office received the definitive results of the toxicology examination performed on the remembered journalist and TV host Ernestina Pais, aged 54. The beloved media personality tragically passed away on June 26, 2026 after her vehicle was struck by a Tren de la Costa train at a railway crossing in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Martínez.
According to judicial sources and journalist Rodrigo Alegre, the study conclusively determined that no alcohol or toxic substances were detected in her bloodstream. This completely rules out that the driver was under the influence of any substances at the time of the accident, providing greater peace and clarity to her loved ones during this moment of grief.
For context, the Tren de la Costa is a popular tourist and commuter train line that runs through the northern suburbs of Buenos Aires. The main hypothesis of the investigators, supported by security cameras, indicates that Pais attempted to cross the railway level crossing when the safety barriers were already down. The light and sound signaling system was working correctly, and the train driver honked the horn before the collision.
The impact occurred on the driver's side of her vehicle, a Honda City. As a result of the crash, the driver suffered a severe craniocerebral trauma, as determined by the preliminary autopsy released on June 27, 2026.
The case, officially classified as an investigation into the causes of death, continues to move forward to reconstruct the communicator's final movements. On June 30, 2026, the prosecution ordered the forensic analysis of Pais's mobile phone to determine if she was communicating at the time of the accident.
Additionally, the car will be examined to rule out any mechanical failure. Theater director José María Muscari testified in the case that Pais was heading to the Teatro Niní Marshall in Tigre, where she was participating in the successful play 'El divorcio del año' (The Divorce of the Year).
Beyond the deep sadness left by her passing, Ernestina Pais's legacy as a communicator, actress, and gastronomic entrepreneur remains alive in the memory of those who loved her and enjoyed her talent. The progress of the investigation allows closing stages and reconstructing the truth of what happened, in a process that seeks to bring peace to her family and friends.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
