Tragedy struck a Brazilian family on New Year's Day as almost all of their members died of food poisoning after ingesting a meal infested with a pesticide. Francisca da Silva, the mother, died on Tuesday, January 7. Previously, however, her one-year-old son, Igno, and her three-year-old daughter, Maria Lauane, died last Thursday and Monday, respectively.
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Additionally, Francisca's brother, Manoel, also died while on the way to a local hospital, according to the Daily Mail. Francisca's other, daughter, Maria Gabrielle, is currently in critical condition at the Teresina Emergency Hospital. According to the outlet, four other family members have already been discharged from the hospital.
Authorities are currently investigating the incident. They have confirmed that the family had eaten rice that was contaminated with terbufos on New Year's Day. Terfubos is a toxic chemical compound that is often found in pesticides.
According to local authorities, the family gathered on December 31, 2024, and ate the rice and meal with no side effects whatsoever. It was only after they gathered once again on January 1, 2025, and ate the reheated rice. Although police believed that the family was poisoned by some gifted fish, traces of the pesticide on the rice later discarded that theory.
There have been no arrests made by authorities at the time. Police believe that there are no family members involved in the tragic deaths of Francisca da Silva, her two children, and her brother.
A Similar Tragic Family Event
Tragically, it was also revealed that this was not the first time that death visited the Da Silva family. According to the Daily Mail, Francisca's eldest sons, João and Ulisses, 7 and 8 respectively, passed away in 2024. Reportedly, a neighbor gifted them a bag of cashews in August 2024. After consuming the nuts, João died five days later. Ulisses, however, remained hospitalized for three months before dying in November.
Authorities arrested the neighbor and are currently investigating the incident. Both incidents, while similar in nature, are not connected according to local police.
Following Francisca's death, the Teresian Emergency Hospital issued a statement, expressing their condolences to the Da Silva family.
"At this time of immense pain, we express our sincere condolences to the patient's family and reaffirm that the multidisciplinary team at HEDA worked with total dedication, following all necessary protocols and measures to ensure the best care during her stay at the unit," the statement reads.
