What should’ve been a festive occasion turned into a nightmare for Zeli dos Anjos, a Brazilian woman who inadvertently caused the death of three family members after they were poisoned by a Christmas cake she made and served on December 23.

Zeli and five other family members, including a 10-year-old, were hospitalized after the horrific incident. Her two sisters, 58-year-old Maida, and 65-year-old Neuza, as well as her 43-year-old niece, Tatiana, passed away.

Toxicology reports revealed traces of arsenic in the bodies of the victims, though authorities say further tests are still needed.

“Based on the evidence we have so far, we cannot determine if the poisoning was accidental or deliberate,” said Marcos Veloso, the police chief in charge of the investigation. “Currently, there is no indication of foul play, but additional evidence could alter our findings.”

Brazilian authorities are investigating a woman after her family was fatally poisoned after eating a Christmas cake she had baked

Image credits: Zeli Dos Anjos

61-year-old Zeli dos Anjos prepared a traditional Brazilian cake for her family’s annual gathering at Arroio do Sal, a beautiful seaside town in the southern part of the country.

While authorities have momentarily dismissed the idea that the poisoning was part of a plan by Zeli, they nevertheless pointed out that the incident occurred months after her husband, Paulo Luiz, died from a similar food poisoning event in September.

Image credits: Tatiana Denize

Luiz’s death had not been considered suspicious at the time, but the police have since decided to exhume his body for a second, more thorough post-mortem examination that could provide clues to the recent event.

A reconstruction of that day’s events points to a refrigerator malfunction due to a power outage as the cause of the poisoning. Zeli had not been at the property for some time, and while she discarded most of the perishable items like meat, she apparently reused some ingredients, such as currants and fruits, for the cake.

Image credits: Neuza Denize

“When Zeli returned to her holiday home, there was a terrible smell from the fridge, and while some food was thrown away, it appears other items were kept,” Veloso explained. 

“We are now investigating if the currants and fruits used in the cake could have been contaminated due to this.”

Authorities have temporarily ruled out the possibility that Zeli had poisoned her family willingly, finding several expired items in her house

Image credits: Tatiana Denize

Further discrediting the idea of Zeli having planned the incident was the fact that she ate two slices of the cake first, falling seriously ill before anyone else. Her condition, unlike that of her sisters, is not fatal, and she’s expected to provide testimony for the investigation in the coming days.

Image credits: Polícia Civil RS

The police are continuing to gather evidence, interviewing those who had contact with the family. According to Veloso, the family appeared to live in harmony, and had good relations with their community. “There’s no suggestion of foul play,” he said.

Tributes have been pouring in for the victims, especially Maida, Zeli’s younger sister, who was a beloved school teacher.

Surviving family members have vouched for Zeli’s innocence, but the presence of arsenic in the victim’s bodies still puzzles investigators

Image credits: Paulo Luiz

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), arsenic is not produced by spoiled food, but it can contaminate food through various methods.

These include soil and contaminated water, food processing, packaging, industrial chemicals, and pesticides. Zeli’s refrigerator malfunction, for example, may have caused the metals in her fridge to contaminate her food.

Authorities have seized the poisoned cake for analysis, and inspected the property in Arroio do Sal, finding numerous expired products.

Image credits: Zeli Dos Anjos

Zeli remains under observation in the hospital, where her condition appears to be stable and improving. Maida’s husband, Jefferson, also consumed the cake but suffered minor symptoms, and was able to immediately share his testimony with investigators.

According to Jefferson, no one in the family was under the impression that Zeli intended to harm anyone, believing her innocent.

“I’d be investigating where the ingredients came from.” Netizens also believed in Zeli’s innocence, lamenting the tragic incident

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