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 of them.

The incident took place during the summer holidays while the grandchildren were visiting. The suspect’s husband had also brought home another cake and cheese bread for the children’s snack time.

One of the grandchildren, a nine-year-old named Alana dos Santos Cardoso Marques, became severely ill shortly after consuming the cake, while her 11-year-old sister, who ate less of it, experienced milder symptoms. Even the family cat fell ill after tasting the treat, with both children experiencing vomiting and severe stomach pain on July 23.

Alana started expelling a white liquid from her nose, prompting her grandparents to seek help. Despite being rushed to the hospital by a neighbor, she tragically passed away from cardiopulmonary arrest shortly after arrival. The cat also succumbed to the same symptoms. Samples of the cake were collected by authorities for testing at the family’s residence in São Francisco, located in eastern Brazil.

Cardoso de Andrade was arrested on September 19. Forensic tests revealed the presence of terbufos, a toxic pesticide, in both the cake and Alana’s body. This chemical affects the central nervous system, leading to muscle weakness and, in high doses, death. Symptoms also include seizures, breathing difficulties, and cramps, potentially causing neurological damage and death.

A veterinarian examination confirmed that the cat had died from liver failure, indicating poisoning as the likely cause of death.

The suspect’s lawyer, Raphael Sim es de Moraes Neto, stated that his client cooperated willingly with investigators and permitted searches at her residence. Authorities are investigating whether the poisoning was intentional or an unfortunate accident, with the motive still unknown. The investigation is ongoing.

This incident follows a previous case where a woman was accused of fatally poisoning three of her in-laws with an arsenic-laced cake during Christmas. Deise Moura dos Anjos allegedly poisoned six family members, resulting in three serious illnesses and three deaths. The suspect reportedly took her own life while in pre-trial detention in February.

In another recent case, an Australian mother, Erin Patterson, was sentenced to life in prison for murdering three of her estranged husband’s relatives by serving them a beef wellington containing poisonous mushrooms.