A young nanny who police say was jailed and forced into prostitution by her boss has been found dead in Brazil, with her employer suspected of involvement in the death.
Geovana Martins, 20, was reported missing on August 19 and her body was found the next day in a wooded area in the city of Manaus, in northern Brazil.
Police arrested his employer, Camila da Silva, in connection with the death on Wednesday, saying Martins may have been beaten and tortured.
The young woman was hired a year ago to look after da Silva’s daughter.
Police say Geovana Martins, 20, was forced into prostitution after being hired to work as a babysitter.
Investigators said Da Silva used the house as a place of prostitution and prevented Martins from leaving.
“She was lured into a life of partying and drinking, but then Camila began forcing her to stay there,” said Civil Police Chief Marília Campello. According to Brazilian media outlet G1“He wouldn’t let her go out even if she wanted to and they sexually exploited her.”
A TikTok video posted to da Silva’s account in February showed her and Martins dancing together.
Camila da Silva (left) dances in a TikTok video with her nanny Geovana Martins, who was found dead in a wooded area in the city of Manaus, northern Brazil.
Although other young women were also forced to perform sex work at the residence, Martins was the only victim living in the house.
“This victim was practically forced to perform sexual acts. From what we were able to find out, the house functioned as a massage parlor,” said Campello. “In addition to Geovana, other girls also passed through there, but the victim lived there and could not have relations with outsiders.”
Martins’ mother, Maria Costa, told G1 that she did not know that her daughter had been forced to work as a prostitute.
“We don’t know anything so far. She never told me anything,” Costa said. “It’s painful to know that she was working with someone and then find out that my daughter is dead.”
Eduardo Gomes is wanted for the death of Geovana Martins
Investigators allege that Geovana was prevented from leaving the house where she worked
Amazonas Civil Police announced Thursday that they were searching for a second suspect, Eduardo Gomes, who is believed to be the owner of the vehicle used to transport Martin’s body.
Gomes is the son of the owner of the house that Da Silva was renting.
“The car belonged to Eduardo and had already been sold to another person,” Campello explained. “However, the suspect loaned the vehicle and returned it after Geovana’s disappearance. The car was returned undamaged to the new owner, who has already given a statement and the car.”
Campello said da Silva, who had been arrested in the past for drug trafficking, scared Martins by telling her she had been married to Mano Kaio, a known drug dealer in Amazonas who is wanted by authorities, and threatened to harm her if she left the house.
Authorities discovered that Camila da Silva had purchased a flight to Europe
“She said she would call the drug dealers to break Geovana’s leg, threatening to make that happen,” Campello said.
Investigators discovered that da Silva had purchased a flight to Europe and that his family, including his mother and uncles, reside in France.
Martins had obtained her passport in June and police believe da Silva was going to use Martins as a drug mule and also force her to have sex outside the country.
Campello said investigators are still looking into the motive behind Martins’ death.
“We cannot yet confirm the exact motive as the suspect denies having committed the crime,” he said. “But we have sufficient evidence and that is why she is in custody.”