Brazilian authorities have taken a woman into custody on suspicion of orchestrating a triple homicide after multiple family members ingested a lethal Christmas cake spiked with arsenic, law enforcement officials revealed on Monday. The tragic incident unfolded during a festive gathering on December 23 in Torres, a quaint coastal town in southern Brazil, where three women lost their lives and three others fell seriously ill.
During a press briefing on Monday, Marcos Veloso, the lead investigator, disclosed that compelling evidence pointed towards the detained family member as the prime suspect in the case. Although the police refrained from disclosing her identity, local media reports identified her as the daughter-in-law of the cake’s creator.
According to reports by G1, authorities confirmed that the woman had conducted online research on arsenic prior to the fatal episode. Subsequent forensic examinations unveiled elevated arsenic levels in the victims’ blood samples, the remnants of the tainted cake, and the flour utilized in its preparation.
Veloso mentioned that family members had detected an unusual and unpleasant taste in the cake, prompting the baker to advise against further consumption. Tragically, by the time the warning was heeded, irreversible harm had been done.
Six individuals were admitted to hospitals for urgent medical attention. Regrettably, two sisters aged 58 and 65, along with the 43-year-old daughter of the elder sibling, succumbed to the poisoning within a short span. The third sister, aged 61 and the cake’s preparer, remains hospitalized but is reported to be in a stable condition as per the latest medical updates.
During a search of the suspect’s residence, law enforcement officials unearthed several expired food items, as reported by BBC, a partner of CBS News. Further scrutiny led authorities to exhume the body of the suspect’s deceased husband, who had passed away in September due to suspected food poisoning, which was previously classified as natural by the police.
Marguet Mittman, the forensic police director in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, highlighted the alarming concentrations of arsenic found in the victims’ systems, emphasizing the lethal potency of the toxin. Mittman revealed that the levels of arsenic detected were significantly above the threshold capable of causing death, further underscoring the malicious intent behind the poisoning.
In response to queries surrounding the motive behind the heinous act, Veloso alluded to underlying familial tensions despite an outwardly harmonious relationship. He suggested that longstanding disputes within the family may have served as the catalyst for the tragic incident.
Arsenic, both in its inorganic and organic forms, is commonly present in various food products, with slightly elevated levels capable of inducing severe symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, and muscle cramping. The toxicity of inorganic arsenic, as classified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, surpasses that of naturally occurring arsenic, warranting stringent monitoring due to its potential carcinogenic effects.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the harrowing events that unfolded in Torres, seeking to
