In a horrifying event in Brazil, a woman is alleged to have sent chocolate Easter eggs laced with poison to her former boyfriend’s current girlfriend, leading to the death of a young boy and critically injuring two others. The accused, 35-year-old Jordélia Pereira Barbosa, is suspected to have purchased the chocolates under a disguise from a supermarket, poisoned them, and then had them delivered to the residence of 32-year-old Mirian Lira.
Barbosa is said to have included a note with the gift that stated, “With love, to Mirian Lira. Happy Easter.” Upon receiving the gift, Lira shared the chocolates with her children, 7-year-old Luis Silva and 13-year-old Evelyn Fernanda. Shortly after eating the chocolates, young Luis became sick and tragically died at a nearby hospital the next day. Both Evelyn and Lira are currently in critical condition at the same hospital.
The exact cause of Luis’s death is still under investigation, and the remaining chocolates are being tested. This is not the first time Barbosa has been suspected of trying to poison Lira. According to local reports, she previously attempted to give Lira tainted candies during a chocolate-tasting event at the supermarket where she was employed.
Barbosa was arrested by Maranhão Civil Police while on a bus en route to her hometown, Santa Inês. The arrest came after the discovery of receipts that linked her to the poisoning. Barbosa’s ex-boyfriend also suggested to police that she could have been involved. While Barbosa confessed to purchasing the chocolates, she denied poisoning them.
Police seized several items from Barbosa, including two wigs, scissors, cards, a saw knife, and unknown substances. Maurício Martins, a security official in Brazil, stated that the alleged poisoning seemed to be motivated by “revenge and jealousy.” He added, “There are several indications that clearly point to this woman being the perpetrator of the crime. The police will continue working to strengthen this evidence and present her to the Judiciary to answer for this barbaric crime.”
This incident is reminiscent of a similar case in Brazil last December, where a woman allegedly poisoned a Christmas cake with arsenic and served it to six of her relatives. Two died immediately, while another passed away shortly after at a hospital. The other three were hospitalized and eventually discharged.