Three women have died, and two others remain hospitalized following a suspected poisoning from a Christmas cake. The event occurred on Monday afternoon during a family gathering in Torres, a town in the Rio Grande do Sul state. Authorities suspect the cake was tainted with arsenic, a highly toxic substance.
The family had gathered for the holiday celebration, and six out of seven attendees consumed the cake. Among them was the woman who baked it, who is now in hospital with arsenic detected in her blood. According to police chief Marcos Vinicius Veloso, the woman ate two slices of the cake, and her blood test showed the highest arsenic levels. Family members reported that the cake had an unusual “peppery” taste, which they later identified as a potential sign of contamination.
Symptoms of poisoning began with vomiting and diarrhea, prompting five of the family members to seek medical help at a nearby hospital in the early hours of Tuesday. Sadly, two sisters, Maida Berenice Flores da Silva, 58, and Tatiana Denize Silva dos Santos, 43, died from cardiac arrest shortly after arriving at the hospital. The third victim, 65-year-old Neuza Denize Silva dos Anjos, died later on Tuesday due to complications from food poisoning.
Blood tests revealed traces of arsenic in the victims’ bodies, and it was also found in the woman who baked the cake and a 10-year-old boy who is still in critical care. Police are investigating whether the poisoning was accidental or intentional. The cake has been sent for further testing, and results are expected next week.
In a shocking development, police have exhumed the body of the woman’s late husband, who passed away from food poisoning in September. At the time, his death was ruled natural, but investigators are now re-examining his death in light of the current incident. Authorities have not named the woman as a suspect yet, but the investigation is ongoing.
Arsenic is a naturally occurring metallic element, but its inorganic form is highly toxic and classified as a known carcinogen by the European Union. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that high levels of inorganic arsenic can be found in contaminated water, food preparation, and industrial processes, but small amounts in food are generally not harmful.
As the investigation continues, the tragedy has left the family and community in shock, raising concerns about food safety and potential long-term effects of arsenic exposure.
