A mother and daughter tragically passed away following the consumption of a birthday cake that is now being investigated as a potential case of deliberate poisoning. Ana Maria de Jesus, 52, and Larissa de Jesus Castilho, 21, were swiftly taken to the hospital after ingesting a portion of the cake that was given to them by a family member. Subsequent tests conducted post their demise revealed the presence of pesticides in their bodies. Law enforcement officials have urged the arrest and detention of Patricia and her partner, known locally as Leonardo, after scrutinizing their mobile phones.
Investigations revealed concerning online searches made by Leonardo, such as ‘heart attack causes convulsions,’ and by Patricia regarding ‘Intoxication from cleaning product.’ Despite this, a judge has declined the police’s request for arrest, citing undisclosed reasons, while the inquiry continues. The sad news of this mother and daughter’s passing emerges amidst another disturbing case involving a law student in Brazil who allegedly experimented with rat poison on dogs and is now accused of a five-year killing spree that claimed the lives of four individuals. The police assert that Ana Paula Veloso Fernandes, 36, was assisted by her twin sister Roberta Cristina Veloso Fernandes and friend Michelle Paiva da Silva, 43, who is the offspring of one of the purported victims.
Authorities looking into the recent poisoning incident were informed that Ana Maria, residing in the Sao Paulo neighborhood of Ipiranga, regularly loaned money to her niece and her partner, potentially linking a debt issue to the tragic events that followed. Surveillance footage captured Leonardo arriving on his motorcycle the day after the family celebration, delivering a slice of the cake to Patricia’s aunt, who had missed the gathering due to illness. Subsequently, she fell ill and was rushed to Sao Paulo’s Heliopolis Hospital, where she required a ventilator. Larissa and a surviving 16-year-old cousin, despite also partaking in the cake, consumed more of it upon returning home after being informed that Ana Maria would be staying in the hospital overnight.
The Sao Paulo Secretariat of Public Security released a statement confirming the involvement of the police homicide unit in investigating the deaths, mentioning the execution of search and seizure warrants on October 8, leading to the confiscation of cell phones for data extraction. The gathered data is still under investigation by authorities. Initial reports leaked to Brazilian media, along with the pesticide findings, indicated potentially incriminating searches on the phones of the central figures in the ongoing police inquiry. Leonardo maintains he was merely assisting a friend, while Patricia, whose Google searches included ‘FBI persuasion manual,’ claims no recollection of making such searches.
The police’s scrutiny of Ana Maria and her daughter’s deaths has been ongoing since late July, particularly triggered by Larissa’s mother’s passing in the hospital. However, the results of the investigation have only recently been disclosed to the public. Brazil has seen a series of poisoning incidents in the past year, including a December case in Rio Grande do Sul where a poisoned Christmas cake resulted in the death of three individuals and left three others critically ill.
Teacher Maida Bernice Flores da Silva, 58, Neuza Denize Silva Dos Anjos, 65, and Neuza’s daughter Tatiana Silvia Dos Santos, 43, succumbed shortly after consuming the contaminated cake. Zeli dos Anjos, who baked the cake tainted with arsenic-laced flour, survived after an extended hospitalization. Among the victims was a 10-year-old boy. Deise Moura dos Anjos, Zeli’s daughter-in-law and a suspect in the crime, took her own life in prison in February while awaiting trial.
The poisoning incidents allegedly orchestrated by law student Ana Paula unfolded between January and May 2025 across various regions in Brazil. Despite unclear motives, police chief Halisson Ideiao stated that Ana Paula exhibited a penchant for killing, suggesting that her motivations were secondary to her desire to inflict harm. The accusations against her include concocting a poisoned stew that led to the death of a 65-year-old man and another killing involving a 21-year-old man she was romantically involved with.