A tragic incident unfolded as a mother and daughter passed away following the consumption of a birthday cake suspected of being deliberately poisoned. Ana Maria de Jesus, 52, and Larissa de Jesus Castilho, 21, fell ill after ingesting a slice of cake given to them by a family member. Postmortem examinations revealed the presence of pesticides in their bodies, prompting authorities to call for the arrest of Patricia and her partner, identified locally as Leonardo, after scrutinizing their mobile phones.
Investigators uncovered concerning online searches on Leonardo’s device, including queries about ‘heart attack causes convulsions,’ and searches related to intoxication from cleaning products on Patricia’s phone. Despite this, a judge denied the police’s request for their detention, citing undisclosed reasons, while the investigation remains active.
In a separate case in Brazil, Ana Paula Veloso Fernandes, a law student, allegedly conducted lethal experiments using rat poison on dogs, resulting in the deaths of four individuals over a five-year period. The police allege that Ana Paula’s twin sister, Roberta Cristina Veloso Fernandes, and her friend, Michelle Paiva da Silva, were accomplices in the crimes.
Authorities have been informed that Ana Maria, a resident of Ipiranga in Sao Paulo, often financially assisted her niece and partner, suggesting a possible debt connection to the tragic events. Following the family celebration, Leonardo visited on his motorcycle the next day and delivered a piece of cake to Patricia, who had missed the gathering due to illness. Patricia subsequently fell ill and was hospitalized, where she was placed on a ventilator. Larissa and a surviving cousin also consumed the cake after returning home from the hospital.
The Sao Paulo Secretariat of Public Security reported that a police homicide unit is investigating the deaths, with search warrants executed in October leading to the confiscation of cell phones for data analysis. Preliminary findings from the phones pointed to incriminating searches related to the case. Leonardo claims innocence, stating he was merely assisting a friend, while Patricia denies recollection of specific search queries.
The deaths of Ana Maria and Larissa have been under investigation since late July, when Larissa’s mother passed away in the hospital. Brazil has witnessed a series of poisoning incidents in recent times, including a notorious Christmas cake poisoning in Rio Grande do Sul that claimed three lives and left several others critically ill.
Ana Paula’s alleged poisoning spree spanned from January to May 2025 across multiple locations in southeastern Brazil, resulting in the deaths of several individuals. Law enforcement authorities believe her actions were driven by a desire to kill, with specific details of her motives remaining unclear. One of her victims was a 65-year-old man and another a 21-year-old individual with whom she had a romantic involvement.