A woman who baked a killer Christmas cake, said to have contained arsenic and wiped out three relatives, is to have her husband exhumed as part of the police investigation.
Paulo Luiz – Zeli Terezinha Silva dos Anjos’ partner – died in September and his body will be dug up as part of the investigation into the deaths of Zeli’s two sisters and niece. Maida, 58, as well as Neuza, 65, and her daughter Tatiana, 43, consumed some of the festive cake Zeli baked on December 23 but fell ill and, after they died this week, traces of the toxic metal arsenic were found in their bodies.
Three other relatives, including Zeli herself and a 10-year-old boy – believed to be Tatiana’s son – became unwell and were also raced to hospital in Torres, a coastal city in southern Brazil. Investigators are continuing their probe into the deaths and confirmed Zeli, who is still in hospital, has not been arrested or charged with anything.
The police force’s statement, given to local network Globo, said: “We opened a police investigation and we are going to exhume this man’s body to check whether there was also poisoning. We even have information that there was mayonnaise there that had expired a year ago. There were expired products in the residence. A bottle was found, a medicine, which should have had capsules inside it and there were no capsules – there was a white liquid and this white liquid will also be examined.”
In Zeli’s home, seven family members at the cake, it is understood. Only one person, who has not been named, did not eat the festive bake. A potent poison which causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea called arsenic was found in the blood of some of the victims in blood tests carried out by doctors. Police suspect poisoning but are yet to confirm whether this was the case.
Neuza died from “shock after food poisoning” while local media report Tatiana and Maida both suffered fatal heart attacks. Zeli is in a stable condition in hospital after reportedly having two slices of the cake. The 10-year-old boy is also believed to be in a stable condition.
Tributes have poured in for, Maida understood to have been a teacher Friends hailed the 58-year-old woman a “wonderful person”. One co-worker and friend wrote: “She was my colleague, she is my friend and my sweetheart! To be special and much loved by us all!! It’s unbelievable… strength to all of us, friends and family.” Neighbours and friends in Torres, a city popular with tourists for its sandy beaches, will be interviewed in due course, it is believed.
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