A 7-year-old boy passed away after eating what looked like a regular Easter gift — a box of chocolate eggs. But now, police believe those chocolates were poisoned.
They say a woman named Jordélia Pereira Barbosa sent them as some kind of twisted revenge plan. The chocolates ended up at her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend’s house.
Along with the boy who died, two other people got really sick.
Police believe jealousy and revenge were behind the crime
Barbosa was arrested after police said she bought the chocolates, put something toxic in them, and had them delivered to her ex’s new girlfriend and her family.
They believe she did it out of jealousy and to get back at her ex.
Maurício Martins, a security official in Brazil, said, “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.”
He also told The Standard the whole thing “was motivated by revenge and jealousy.”
The poisoned chocolate was delivered as a gift
Cops say Barbosa got the chocolates from a supermarket, messed with them, then had someone on a motorbike drop them off.
She even sent a note along with the box. It read, “With love, to Mirian Lira. Happy Easter,” according to The Daily Mail.
The chocolates were shared with the family
Mirian Lira, the girlfriend of Barbosa’s ex, apparently opened the box and shared the Easter chocolates with her two kids — a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy.
The boy died hours after eating the chocolate
After eating the chocolate, the boy got sick almost right away.
They rushed him to Imperatriz City Hospital, but sadly, he didn’t make it. He died just a few hours later.
His mother and sister are in critical condition
His mom and older sister also ate the chocolates and got really sick too.
They’re still in the hospital, both in serious condition and reportedly on ventilators.
Authorities are still waiting on forensic results
So far, no one’s confirmed exactly what killed the boy. Forensics are still testing the rest of the chocolates to confirm if they were poisoned.
An autopsy is being done on the boy to figure out what really happened. Authorities are pretty sure the results will show he was poisoned.
They’re also testing the chocolates and doing more checks on the mom and daughter who are still in the hospital.
Investigators tracked Barbosa using receipts and footage
Police tracked Barbosa down while she was on a bus headed back home to Santa Inês.
They found a receipt showing she bought the chocolates, which helped them find her.
Security cameras also showed her buying the eggs at a supermarket — she was even wearing a dark wig to hide her blonde hair.
Barbosa denies poisoning the chocolates
When police asked her about it, Barbosa admitted she bought the chocolates but said she didn’t put anything in them.
But police also found a bunch of strange things with her — like two wigs, scissors, greeting cards, a saw knife, and some unknown substances.
They also talked to her ex-boyfriend, who said he thought she might’ve had something to do with what happened.