5 Shocking Facts About Young Griselda Blanco: The Untold Story Before The Cocaine Godmother

The true story of Griselda Blanco Restrepo, the infamous "Cocaine Godmother," is far more brutal and complex than any recent television adaptation, including the 2024 Netflix miniseries 'Griselda,' could fully capture. The myth of the ruthless drug lord who terrorized Miami in the 1970s and 80s begins not with a sprawling empire, but with a childhood defined by poverty, violence, and a shockingly early descent into crime in the turbulent streets of Medellín, Colombia. This is the fresh, untold history of the young Griselda Blanco, a narrative of survival that shaped the most dangerous woman in narcotics history.

As of late 2024, renewed interest in Blanco's life has brought her early years under the microscope, revealing a dark formative period that laid the foundation for her later moniker, "The Black Widow." Before she was orchestrating drug shipments from New York City and Miami, she was a child navigating the extreme social unrest known as 'La Violencia,' learning to kill and hustle just to survive.

Griselda Blanco Restrepo: A Young Life Profile

The early life of Griselda Blanco is a stark contrast to the glamorous, albeit deadly, image of the drug queenpin she would become. Her formative years were spent in a desperate struggle for existence, a period that quickly turned a child into a predator.

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• Full Name: Griselda Blanco Restrepo
• Born: February 15, 1943, in Cartagena, Colombia
• Died: September 3, 2012, in Medellín, Colombia (assassinated)
• Known Aliases: The Cocaine Godmother, The Black Widow, La Madrina
• Childhood Location: Moved to Medellín, Colombia, at a young age.
• First Confirmed Crime: Alleged involvement in the kidnapping and murder of a 10-year-old boy at age 11.
• Early Occupations: Pickpocket, prostitute, kidnapper, street hustler.
• First Husband: Carlos Trujillo (met as a teenager, married at age 13 or 20, depending on the source).
• Children with First Husband: Dixon, Uber, and Osvaldo Trujillo.
• Criminal Hubs (Young Adulthood): Medellín, Colombia; New York City, USA.

The Brutal Initiation: Griselda’s First Kill at Age 11

The most chilling and defining detail of young Griselda Blanco's life is the widely reported story of her first murder, allegedly committed at the tender age of 11. This event, which took place in the slums of Medellín, marked her transition from a victim of poverty to a perpetrator of violence.

A Kidnapping Gone Wrong. According to biographical accounts, Blanco joined a group of young criminals who kidnapped a 10-year-old boy from a wealthy family in the neighborhood. When the ransom demands were not met, or perhaps simply to eliminate a witness, Blanco allegedly shot the boy.

This single, brutal act is frequently cited by historians and law enforcement as the moment the "Cocaine Godmother" was truly born. It demonstrated an immediate, shocking capacity for cold-blooded violence that would define her entire career. Her childhood was not just about petty theft; it was about immediate, deadly escalation in the face of conflict, a trait she carried all the way to the Miami Drug Wars.

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Escaping a Cycle of Abuse and Poverty

Blanco’s life in Medellín was characterized by extreme hardship. Born into poverty, she moved to the city, which was then a cauldron of violence during the period known as 'La Violencia.'

A Street Hustler’s Survival. By the age of 13, she had run away from home. Sources indicate this was to escape sexual abuse from her mother's partner. To survive on the streets, she quickly became an accomplished pickpocket and, soon after, a sex worker. This environment—where life was cheap and crime was a necessity—forged her iron will and her absolute lack of empathy, which later allowed her to order countless murders without remorse.

The First Husband: Carlos Trujillo and the Start of the Hustle

Griselda’s first marriage, and the beginning of her infamous "Black Widow" reputation, came in her teenage years. She met Carlos Trujillo, a petty criminal in Medellín, who would become the father of her first three sons: Dixon, Uber, and Osvaldo.

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A Partnership in Petty Crime. Trujillo was a street hustler who specialized in human trafficking and creating fake IDs. Their relationship was a partnership built on crime, not romance. He provided her with the early infrastructure and connections necessary to move beyond simple street crime and into the more organized world of smuggling. This union was critical for young Griselda, giving her a foothold in the criminal underworld and establishing her role as a leader even as a young woman.

The marriage ended violently, setting a pattern for her future relationships. Blanco allegedly ordered Trujillo's murder in the early 1970s following a dispute over money, cementing her legendary nickname as the woman who killed all her husbands.

From Medellín to Manhattan: The New York Cocaine Trade

Before the infamous "Cocaine Cowboys" era in Miami, young Griselda Blanco and her second husband, Alberto Bravo, were instrumental in establishing a major cocaine route in New York City. This period represents her transition from a street criminal to an international drug trafficker.

The New York Connection. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Blanco and Bravo moved to Queens, New York, where they began to build their first significant narcotics operation. They focused on smuggling cocaine into the United States, utilizing creative methods—including specially designed lingerie to conceal packages—that would later become her trademark.

This New York operation was a proving ground. It was here that she honed the logistical skills and the ruthless management style required to run a drug cartel. The money flowed, and the violence escalated, laying the groundwork for the massive, bloody empire she would later launch in South Florida. Her success in New York City, which is often overshadowed by the Miami years, was the true launchpad of her career as the Cocaine Godmother.

The Contrast: Real Young Griselda vs. The Netflix Portrayal

The 2024 Netflix miniseries 'Griselda,' starring Sofía Vergara, brought renewed attention to the queenpin's story. However, the show largely focuses on her time in Miami, often skipping or glossing over the truly brutal and foundational years of the young Griselda Blanco.

The real young Griselda was a product of the most desperate circumstances in Medellín, a child predator molded by a violent environment. The series’ portrayal, while dramatic, tends to humanize her struggle in Miami, whereas the reality of her youth—the pickpocketing, the prostitution, the age 11 murder, and the early, violent end of Carlos Trujillo—paints a picture of a woman who was a hardened killer long before she ever set foot in Florida. Her story is a dark testament to how early and completely a life can be consumed by criminality.