A holiday gathering turned tragic for a Brazilian family when three relatives died following the consumption of a Christmas cake suspected to be poisoned. The event took place at a family gathering hosted by Zeli dos Anjos at her vacation home in Torres, southeastern Brazil, on December 23.
According to Mail Online, A Brazilian woman and several family members fell gravely ill, and three died after eating a Christmas cake, prompting a criminal investigation into possible poisoning.
Zeli dos Anjos, renowned for her kindness within the family, had prepared the traditional "Bolo de Natal" for the occasion. However, shortly after eating the festive dessert, guests reported its taste was "unusual" and "spicy," leading to dos Anjos remarking, "No one will eat it anymore," amidst growing complaints.
Neuza dos Anjos, aged 65, Maida da Silva, aged 58, and Tatiana dos Santos, aged 43, succumbed to their symptoms shortly after eating the cake. Hospital staff treated the surviving attendees, including dos Anjos herself and Neuza’s 10-year-old grandson, who are now in stable condition.
Police launched a homicide investigation in response to the incident. Investigators identified traces of arsenic in the blood of the deceased, which redirected the investigation toward potential sources of contamination.
Authorities are exploring multiple possibilities, including spoiled food ingredients caused by a power outage at another property where dos Anjos stored perishable items like raisins. This discovery sparked speculation that inadvertently spoiled toppings might have contributed to the incident.
Authorities are also reexamining an earlier case involving the death of dos Anjos's former husband, who passed away under mysterious circumstances also thought to be food poisoning. The decision to exhume his body aims to shed light on any possible connection between the two incidents.
Rio Grande do Sul Civil Police Chief Marcos Veloso detailed the challenging nature of the investigation, stating, "So far, I have not been able to find any intentional conduct, and we have been told there was no animosity between family members. However, we must be cautious as other evidence may contradict our current understandings."
Local chemist Ubiracir Lima commented on the horrific event, noting that arsenic would only be present in lethal quantities if there were deviations from normal agricultural practices or if it was an accident. He suggested that a mistake involving the storage of arsenic in a container later used for storing food ingredients could have occurred, raising the possibility of either accidental or deliberate poisoning.
Lima added, "If these limits of arsenic presence have been exceeded, it points to either a mishap during pesticide application or incorrect storage habits. There’s even a chance of a mix-up with an unidentified container, which occasionally happens." His analysis casts a broader scope on how such a tragic contamination could have unfolded.
Marcos Veloso also shared insights into the family dynamics and the initial reactions to the cake’s odd taste, "According to some testimonies, there were people who didn't even want to eat the cake but did so not to offend Zeli. She then intervened to stop others from eating more, right when people began falling ill."
The profound impact of this tragedy has rippled through the community and among officers working the case. The police are continuing their meticulous examination of all evidence, including the detailed analysis of purchase records and interviews with survivors and relatives who might shed more light on the motivations or errors that led to this appalling incident.
As the town of Torres looks for answers, the heartache of a holiday celebration turned deadly weighs heavily on the minds of all. The outcomes of the ongoing investigations are anxiously awaited, with hopes for justice and explanations to prevent such a disaster from ever reoccurring.
