03-06-2025
Girl, 17, dies after eating cake delivered to her home with love note
A 17-year-old girl was killed, and another left fighting for her life, after a teen rival sent them 'poisoned' cupcakes with love notes out of 'jealousy', according to police.
Brazilian authorities said an unnamed 17-year-old girl confessed to sending an arsenic-laced treat in an attempt to 'scare' Ana Neves, who died a day after eating the poisoned pastry.
The teenage victim arrived home to find the cake and the hand-written note, 'A treat for the most beautiful girl I've ever seen', in the city of Itapecerica - about 310 miles north of São Paulo.
She fell sick around an hour after eating the cake at 6pm on Saturday, and was initially discharged from hospital that night.
But her father brought her back to the hospital on Sunday afternoon as her condition worsened. She went into cardiac arrest and died shortly after arriving.
São Paulo Civil Police said they arrested a 17-year-old suspect who allegedly confessed to purchasing the cake from a local baker, laced it with arsenic bought off the internet, and delivered it through a courier via an app.
The suspect added that the poison was purchased online for just 65 Brazilian reals, or about USD about $11.50, while the courier was paid 5 reals - about 88 cents.
She also allegedly confessed to sending another poisoned cake and love note to another 17-year-old on May 15. The first victim almost died but was rushed to hospital and has since made a full recovery.
The suspect also told police that she purchased the cupcake that killed Neves from Menina Trufa, a pastry shop.
Josielie Franca, who owns the Menina Trufa, said an unknown person walked into the store to make the purchase, but that none of their couriers made the delivery.
'The product left the store and no one knows where it went,' Franca said in video statement via they shop's Instagram account on Monday.
'It was a delivery boy from an app. All of our deliveries arrive via our delivery boys, who use our pink bag, with our logo. This delivery was not made by our delivery boys.'
Ana Neves was laid to rest Tuesday. The 17-year-old high school junior died at a hospital Sunday after going into cardiac arrest a day after she fell ill from a poisoned cupcake
Neves was a high school junior at João Baptista de Oliveira State School.
'With a huge weight, our classroom says goodbye to a beautiful star,' the school said in a statement.
'No words will be enough to console, but we hope that love and beautiful memories will comfort, little by little, the hurting hearts.
'Ana was, and will always be, part of our history. We will carry with us the good times, the lessons learned and the affection that she left behind.'
