A 13-year-old girl has died, just days after her younger brother passed away from eating poisoned Easter eggs. Their mother had received the chocolates, which police say were laced with poison, and both children ate them.
Now investigators think it was all part of a revenge plan tied to a past relationship.
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A deadly Easter gift arrives at the family’s home
Mirian Lira, who lives in Brazil, got a box of Easter eggs with a note that read, “With love, to Mirian Lira. Happy Easter.”
The chocolates were allegedly from a woman named Jordélia Pereira Barbosa.
She shared them with her two kids. Her seven-year-old son, Luis, ate some and soon after, got very sick.
The seven-year-old boy dies after eating the chocolate
Luis was found unresponsive. His father, Rafael, tried to revive him by performing CPR, but it was too late.
Luis went into cardiac arrest and died on April 17.
The daughter was hospitalized but couldn’t be saved
Mirian and her daughter Evelyn, who was 13, were both taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Health officials later confirmed Evelyn had died. They said the cause was vascular shock that led to multiple organ failure.
The hospital shared in a statement, “Unfortunately, the clinical condition showed serious and rapid deterioration without responding to treatment.”
The mother remains in hospital
Mirian is still in the hospital but is said to be in stable condition now.
The woman accused of sending the eggs is arrested
On April 21, Barbosa was taken into custody. Police believe she poisoned the chocolate and sent it to Mirian, who is currently in a relationship with Barbosa’s former partner.
Officers found her while she was riding a bus in Santa Inês. She had a shopping receipt with her that matched the Easter eggs she allegedly sent.
Police find suspicious items in the suspect’s possession
Police also found several unusual items in her possession — two wigs, a saw knife, scissors, greeting cards, and some unknown substances.
Surveillance footage appeared to show her wearing a black wig when she was buying the chocolate.
Suspect claims innocence despite the evidence
Barbosa admitted to buying the eggs in the days before Easter. But she told investigators she didn’t put anything harmful in them.
Authorities believe jealousy motivated the attack
There’s more. According to Imperatriz, Barbosa had earlier tried to bring chocolates to Mirian’s workplace.
She was turned away, but then went to the parking lot to hand them out there instead.
Maurício Martins, from Maranhão’s Department of Security, said, “The evidence suggests that the crime was motivated by revenge, by jealousy, given that the author’s ex-husband is the current partner or boyfriend of the victim, who was poisoned along with her two children.”
