Omotayo Adigun
A Brazilian grandmother has been arrested after allegedly poisoning her two young granddaughters with a cake, leaving one dead and the other hospitalized.
Authorities say 59-year-old Izabel Cardoso de Andrade prepared the cake during the school holidays while her granddaughters, nine-year-old Alana dos Santos Cardoso Marques and her 11-year-old sister, were visiting her home in São Francisco, eastern Brazil.
During snack time, Andrade’s husband reportedly returned with another cake and cheese bread, which were also served to the children. Shortly after eating, the sisters fell violently ill.
Alana, who consumed the most, collapsed after severe vomiting and stomach pain. According to witnesses, she expelled a white liquid from her nose before neighbors rushed her to hospital. Tragically, she suffered a cardiopulmonary arrestand died shortly after arriving. Her older sister survived after eating only a smaller portion, though she too experienced painful symptoms.
Even the family cat was not spared. The animal, which had eaten some of the cake, later died. A veterinary examination confirmed liver failure, strongly pointing to poisoning.
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Police later collected food samples from the home. Forensic tests revealed the presence of terbufos, a toxic pesticide known to attack the central nervous system. Ingesting it can cause seizures, muscle weakness, respiratory failure, and in high doses, death. The chemical was found both in the cake and in Alana’s body.
Andrade was arrested on September 19 after weeks of investigation. Her lawyer, Raphael Simões de Moraes Neto, stated that she cooperated fully, allowing searches of her home and answering investigators’ questions. Authorities say they are still trying to determine whether the poisoning was intentional or a tragic accident, as no clear motive has yet been established.
This heartbreaking case is the latest in a troubling string of food-poisoning incidents in Brazil. Last year, Deise Moura dos Anjos was accused of killing three of her in-laws with an arsenic-laced Christmas cake. And just last month, Australian mother Erin Patterson was sentenced to life in prison for killing three of her estranged husband’s relatives with a mushroom-laced beef wellington.
For Alana’s grieving family, however, the tragedy is deeply personal. What should have been an ordinary holiday visit turned into an unthinkable nightmare. The investigation continues, as both authorities and loved ones search for answers to how a treat meant to bring joy ended in heartbreak.