An angry mob stormed a police station in Brazil and burned a man alive after he was arrested for allegedly raping and killing a one-year-old girl.
Gregorio da Silva, 48, has reportedly confessed to the murder of the girl, identified as Laylla de Assis, and the abandonment of her body in a river last Wednesday in Jutaí, a city in the northern state of Amazonas.
Da Silva turned himself in to police on Thursday after investigators identified him on surveillance cameras and he was taken to the police station, where residents gathered to demand justice.
Dozens of people stormed the compound, throwing Molotov cocktails, setting off fireworks and throwing bottles, Amazonas military police said.
Gregorio da Silva was killed by an angry mob on Thursday in Jutaí, Brazil, after he allegedly confessed to raping and murdering one-year-old Laylla de Assis. The 48-year-old took the girl from a floating boat where her mother had put her to sleep on Wednesday night. He told police he sexually abused her before dumping her body in the river. Her body has not been recovered.
One-year-old Laylla de Assis was raped and murdered after she was taken from a boat where she was sleeping on Wednesday night in Jutaí, a town in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas.
Residents surround an ambulance near the police station where an angry mob stormed on Thursday and removed Gregorio da Silva, who had allegedly confessed to the rape and murder of one-year-old Laylla de Assis, and set his body on fire.
Once inside, they managed to overwhelm the police and dragged da Silva to the middle of the street.
Disturbing videos showed people surrounding da Silva and throwing stones and other objects at him in a scene that was broadcast live on social media.
Da Silva was lying motionless on the ground when a man approached him and set him on fire as the crowd cheered.
A resident proceeded to beat Da Silva’s burning body with a large piece of wood.
A resident approaches the body of Gregorio da Silva and sets it on fire after the 48-year-old was dragged out of a police station in Amazonas, Brazil, moments after allegedly confessing to the rape and murder of one-year-old Layla Vitória.
Police in Jutaí, a city in the northern Brazilian state of Amazonas, have yet to locate the body of Layla Vitória, the one-year-old girl who was raped and murdered before her body was dumped in a river last Wednesday.
Residents of Jutaí stand near the burning body of Gregorio da Silva, who was set alight by an angry mob last Thursday night.
Separate images showed da Silva’s body covered in wooden pallets as residents shouted at him.
Another video showed an ambulance arriving at the scene as the fire raged in the background.
Amazonas Civil Police said De Assis was put to sleep by her mother on a floating boat in Jutaí on Wednesday night and realized the child was missing.
Da Silva, an ice cream vendor, reportedly felt pressured and decided to turn himself in, confessing to sexually abusing and murdering De Assis.
A video showed the distraught mother sitting on the ground after learning of her daughter’s death.
“Why didn’t you do it to me, Lord?” he said. “I deserve it.”
Authorities had not recovered De Assis’ body or made any arrests as of Monday.
