A 59-year-old grandmother has been arrested on suspicion of poisoning her two grandkids with a baked cake, killing one.
Izabel Cardoso de Andrade said she prepared the cake for afternoon tea while her two grandchildren were staying for the summer holiday.
Her husband also brought another cake and some cheese bread for snack time.
READ MORE: Controversial Banksy tribute created by artist on beach
The nine-year-old victim, named Alana dos Santos Cardoso Marques, immediately fell ill.
The eldest child, 11, ate a smaller amount of the cake because she disliked the taste.
She had milder symptoms and survived.
A family cat also ate the baked cake and fell seriously ill.
The children then began complaining of nausea and severe abdominal pain.
Alana was expelling a white liquid from her nose, and her grandparents called for help, according to reports.
A neighbour then took the girl to the hospital.
Alana passed away from cardiopulmonary arrest shortly after arriving at the hospital.
While the police were at the house, another neighbour handed over the cat, which had arrived at their property with the same symptoms as the girl and then died.
The dead cat was sent for tests while officers collected samples of the food prepared for the children at their grandparents’ house in São Francisco, located east of Brasilia, Brazil, on 23 July.
Cardoso de Andrade was arrested on Friday (19 Sep).
According to the police, forensic reports concluded that terbufos, a toxic substance used in pesticides and agrochemicals, was found in the baked cake and the victim’s body.
When ingested by humans, the chemical compound attacks the central nervous system and causes muscle weakness, as reported by Need To Know.
Symptoms can include seizures, breathing difficulties and cramps, leading to possible neurological damage and even death.
A veterinarian’s report on the cat concluded that it passed away from liver failure, suggesting poisoning as a likely cause of death.
The motive for the alleged poisoning is still being investigated.
The suspect’s lawyer, Raphael Simões de Moraes Neto, pointed out that his client has voluntarily collaborated with the investigation and authorised searches at her residence.
Cops were investigating whether it was intentional or not.
They are unaware of any motive, so it may have been a terrible accident, according to reports.
The investigation is ongoing.
On Christmas Eve last year, Deise Moura dos Anjos allegedly poisoned six of her husband’s family members.
They had all eaten a Christmas cake that was reportedly laced with arsenic.
Three victims passed away while the other three were hospitalised in a serious condition.
The suspect allegedly killed herself while being held in a pre-trial detention centre in February.
READ MORE: Fourteen ‘fare dodging’ passengers spotted pushing through barrier at Tube station in one afternoon
