A 59-year-old woman, Izabel Cardoso de Andrade, has been taken into custody on suspicion of poisoning her two grandchildren with a cake, resulting in the death of one child.
The incident occurred during the summer holidays when the grandchildren were visiting. While the children were snacking on another cake and cheese bread brought home by their grandfather, the suspect allegedly served them the lethal treat. The nine-year-old granddaughter, Alana dos Santos Cardoso Marques, fell severely ill shortly after consuming the cake, while her 11-year-old sister, who ate less, showed milder symptoms. Even the family cat experienced adverse effects after tasting the cake, leading to vomiting and severe stomach pain in both children.
Alana was rushed to the hospital after expelling a white liquid from her nose but tragically passed away from cardiopulmonary arrest upon arrival. Subsequent investigations revealed the presence of terbufos, a toxic pesticide, in both the cake and Alana’s body. Terbufos is known to affect the central nervous system, causing muscle weakness and, in high concentrations, fatality. Symptoms may include seizures, breathing difficulties, and cramps, potentially resulting in neurological damage or death.
The family cat, upon examination by a veterinarian, was found to have succumbed to liver failure, indicating possible poisoning as the cause of death.
Following forensic tests, the suspect was arrested on September 19. Authorities are exploring whether the poisoning was deliberate or accidental, and no motive has been established yet. Investigations are ongoing to shed light on the tragic incident.
This disturbing incident comes in the wake of similar cases, such as a woman in Brazil accused of fatally poisoning her in-laws with an arsenic-laced cake during Christmas, and an Australian mother sentenced to life imprisonment for serving poisonous mushrooms to her estranged husband’s relatives.