A woman, identified as Izabel Cardoso de Andrade, has been taken into custody for allegedly poisoning her two grandchildren with a cake, resulting in the death of one child. The incident occurred during the summer holidays while the grandchildren were visiting her. Reportedly, the woman’s husband also brought home another cake and cheese bread for the children’s snack time.
The poisoning left one of the grandchildren, a nine-year-old named Alana dos Santos Cardoso Marques, severely ill almost immediately, while her 11-year-old sister, who consumed less of the cake, experienced milder symptoms. Even the family cat became sick after tasting the treat, with both children suffering from vomiting and intense stomach pain after eating the cake on July 23.
Alana exhibited alarming symptoms, including expelling a white liquid from her nose, prompting her grandparents to seek help. Despite being rushed to the hospital by a neighbor, Alana tragically passed away from cardiopulmonary arrest shortly after arrival. The cat also succumbed to the same symptoms. Authorities collected samples of the cake for testing at the family’s residence in São Francisco, Brazil.
Following forensic tests, it was revealed that terbufos, a toxic pesticide, was present in both the cake and Alana’s body. This chemical affects the central nervous system, causing muscle weakness, and can be fatal in high doses. Other symptoms of terbufos poisoning include seizures, breathing difficulties, and cramps, which can lead to neurological damage or death.
Additionally, an examination by a veterinarian determined that the cat died of liver failure, indicating possible poisoning as the cause of death.
The suspect, Cardoso de Andrade, was apprehended on September 19. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the poisoning was intentional or accidental, with authorities currently unaware of any motive behind the incident.
This incident follows a similar case where a woman was accused of fatally poisoning three of her in-laws with an arsenic-laced cake during Christmas. The suspect allegedly poisoned six family members, resulting in three falling severely ill and the other three passing away after consuming the cake. The woman reportedly took her own life while in pre-trial detention in February.
In a separate case, an Australian mother, Erin Patterson, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of three of her estranged husband’s relatives by serving them a beef wellington containing poisonous mushrooms.