A 22-year-old mother of three was allegedly beaten to death by her boyfriend – just two months after her friend was killed by an ex.
Priscila Versão had been at a party with her partner, Deivit Bezerra Pereira, on Sunday night (22 Feb).
The savage attack is believed to have unfolded inside their car at around 4:30am the following morning.
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Pereira, 35, drove Priscila – covered in bruises and cuts and showing no signs of life – to a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil.
She had a nosebleed, her clothes reportedly smelled of petrol and traces of blood were found inside the vehicle.
At the hospital, Pereira is said to have threatened to set himself alight.
After calming down, he told police that he and Priscila had argued at a bar.
He claimed he went to a filling station, bought petrol and poured it over himself intending to take his own life, but then changed his mind.
According to his account, on the way back to the bar he found Priscila lying outside with a nosebleed and took her to hospital.
He was arrested on suspicion of femicide. His mobile phone and car were seized, and he exercised his right to remain silent during questioning.
He was remanded in custody on Tuesday (24 Feb), as reported by Need To Know.
Priscila had three children with Pereira – aged six, four and six months.
Her mother, Selma Alves Ribeiro da Silva, told local media: “She was a fighter – she always fought for her own happiness and for her children’s.
“But sadly, she was trapped in a toxic, abusive relationship… I did all I could – and even what I couldn’t – to try and get her out of that relationship.”
Selma, who works as a cleaner on a modest income, will now raise her three grandchildren alone.
“There’s no way I can work during the day or take a night job, because I have to look after her little ones,” she said. “My hands are tied.”
Priscila was a friend of Tainara Souza Santos, whose legs were severed when she was allegedly run over and dragged for more than 1km by an ex-partner, Douglas Alves da Silva, in November.
She died the following month, aged 31, after spending 25 days in hospital.
The two femicide victims lived in the same São Paulo neighbourhood.
Priscila’s funeral and burial are due to take place today (25 Feb).
