In a tragic twist to what should have been a joyful Christmas gathering, police in Brazil arrested the daughter-in-law of a woman whose homemade Christmas cake allegedly killed three family members. Deise Moura, 39, faces charges of triple homicide and triple attempted homicide following the shocking deaths.
The festive dessert, a traditional “Bolo de Natal”, was prepared by Zeli Dos Anjos, 61, for a family coffee afternoon in Torres, near Porto Alegre, on December 23. The celebration turned deadly when Maida Bernice Flores da Silva, Neuza Denize Silva Dos Anjos, 58, 65, and Neuza’s daughter Tatiana Silvia Dos Santos, 43, died just hours after consuming the cake, they said CBS News.
Zeli Dos Anjos herself remains hospitalized two weeks after the incident, while her great nephew Matheus, 10, recovered and was discharged. In a grim revelation, traces of arsenic were found on the victims’ bodies, prompting police to arrest Moura, who is married to Zeli’s son Diego.
Torres Police Chief Marcus Vinicius Veloso confirmed Moura’s arrest, stating: “The woman was arrested for triple homicide and triple attempted homicide. She was initially taken to a Canoas police station, then to the Torres police station and is now in the city’s women’s prison. At this moment we cannot say anything more.”
Investigators believe Zeli prepared the fatal cake at her residence before bringing it to the family gathering. Authorities confiscated several items from their coastal home, including nuts, flour and pesticides. While the investigation continues, initial findings confirmed arsenic poisoning in the victims’ blood, CNN reported.
Police are also reopening another case linked to the family. They plan to exhume the remains of Zeli’s ex-husband, Paulo Luis, 68, who died under suspicious circumstances after eating a banana believed to be contaminated. His death, initially attributed to food poisoning, occurred after the floods. reportedly contaminated crops on your property.
Despite the shocking accusations, authorities have reported There are no known disputes within the family. However, they continue to examine the motives and circumstances surrounding the poisonings. As the investigation continues, the devastating events have left the family stunned and the community searching for answers to this horrific Christmas tragedy.