A baby has died and a relative is fighting for her life in hospital after eating “poisoned” granola given in mystery gifts to the family.
Geisa de Cássia Tenório Silva and eight-month-old Yohana Maitê Filgueira Costa fell ill after eating açaí, a type of fruit, and the granola. The food had been given to Geisa, 50, as presents from an unknown person with deliveries by a motorcycle courier on three consecutive days, starting on April 13. Yohana tragically died in the ambulance as the two were being taken to hospital and the latest update on the health of Geisa is that she is intubated in the ICU of a hospital in Macaíba, west-south-west of Natal, Brazil.
She is undergoing dialysis and her condition is serious but stable. The family went to the police after being advised to do so by the medics who treated Geisa and Yohana.
A police spokesperson said: “The food that was consumed has been sent for toxicology testing, but the forensic report hasn’t been completed yet. There is a possibility of poisoning, but at this stage, it would be premature to make any definitive statements.”
There is mystery surrounding who gave the food as a gift and it was not the first time it had happened. Geisa’s son Yago Smith says the family received deliveries on three consecutive days from motorcycle couriers.
On April 13, Geisa received a teddy bear and some chocolates, which she ate without any adverse effects. The next day, she received the açaí and granola. She ate the açaí and shared the granola with Yohana.
A short while later, both fell unwell and were rushed from their home in Natal to the emergency department. Yohana died, while Geisa was discharged after receiving medication.
On April 15, she woke up feeling fine and another açaí delivery arrived. She ate the açaí, as she had not linked the previous delivery to her sickness or Yohana’s death.
She fell ill within 15 minutes, was taken to the A&E, and later transferred to a larger hospital. Yago recalled: “She was sweating heavily, her hands were trembling, she didn’t have the strength to say anything, and was foaming at the mouth.
“That’s when they started to suspect it might be poisoning.” The police are now working to identify the delivery rider in a bid to find out who sent the deliveries. Yohana is survived by her mother, Danielle Priscila Silva.
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