Police in Brazil have identified one potential cause behind a tragic case of suspected food poisoning that claimed the lives of three women from the same family after eating a Christmas cake.
Zeli dos Anjos, 61, prepared the traditional “Bolo de Natal” for a family gathering on December 23 in the southern city of Torres. However, the festive treat led to six family members, including a 10-year-old child, being hospitalised.
Zeli’s sisters, Maida, 58, Neuza, 65, and Neuza’s daughter, Tatiana, 43, all died shortly after consuming the cake.
Toxicology tests revealed traces of the poisonous metal arsenic in the victims’ bodies. While investigations continue, local police suggest the deaths could be linked to a power outage that may have caused some cake toppings to spoil.
Adding to the mystery, it has emerged that Zeli’s husband, Paulo Luiz, died in September from suspected food poisoning. Although initially not considered suspicious, police have now ordered the exhumation of his body for a full post-mortem examination.
Further tests are underway as detectives work to determine the exact sequence of events behind the tragedy.
Torres police chief Marcos Vinicius Veloso said earlier this week: “With the evidence we have collected, we do not know whether the poisoning was negligent or intentional. So far, I have not been able to find any intentional conduct. However, other evidence that comes to light may contradict what I think now. This is an investigation that requires great caution.”
Zeli dos Anjos, the woman who prepared the Christmas cake at the center of a poisoning tragedy in Brazil, has spoken briefly to police from her hospital bed. Zeli had baked the festive treat at her holiday home in the beach resort of Arroio do Sal, a property she had not visited for some time as she had been living in Canoas, two hours inland.
The cake was later served at an apartment in Torres, where her sister Maida lived with her husband. According to Police Chief Mr. Veloso, investigations revealed that the holiday home had experienced a power outage before Zeli’s visit. Upon arriving, she discovered the fridge had been turned off and described an “unbearable smell” inside. While some spoiled perishable foods, such as meat, were discarded, other items—including dried fruits like currants and crystallized fruits—were reportedly reused.
Police are investigating whether these ingredients, potentially affected by the power cut, were used in the cake a month later. Arsenic, which was found in the victims’ bodies, can develop naturally in certain foods like seafood, rice, mushrooms, and poultry, though it can also occur in some fruit products.
Maida, a teacher, was the first to die after eating the cake. Her husband, Jefferson, experienced minor symptoms and received medical treatment. He told local media that no one in the family believes Zeli intended to harm her relatives.
Zeli, whose hospital condition is described as stable, is expected to be questioned further once she recovers. Police continue to analyse the circumstances behind the tragedy.
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