A woman in Brazil, Izabel Cardoso de Andrade, aged 59, has been taken into custody for allegedly poisoning her two grandchildren with cake, leading to the death of one of them. The incident occurred during the summer when the grandchildren were visiting. The woman’s husband also brought home additional snacks for the children.
The poisoning resulted in severe illness for the nine-year-old victim, Alana dos Santos Cardoso Marques, who fell sick immediately after consuming the cake. Her 11-year-old sister, who ate less of the cake, experienced milder symptoms. Even the family pet cat suffered symptoms after tasting the treat.
Alana was rushed to the hospital but tragically died from cardiopulmonary arrest shortly after. Subsequently, the cat also died after showing similar symptoms. Investigation revealed the presence of a toxic pesticide called terbufos in both the cake and Alana’s body, which can cause muscle weakness and, in high doses, death.
Further examination revealed that the cat died of liver failure, indicating poisoning as the probable cause of death. The suspect has cooperated with authorities and permitted searches at her residence. Investigators are looking into whether the poisoning was intentional or accidental, with no known motive at this time.
This incident follows a previous case in Brazil where a woman allegedly poisoned her in-laws, resulting in fatalities. Additionally, an Australian mother was recently sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her estranged husband’s relatives by serving them a poisonous meal.