Brazilian Woman Accused of Poisoning In-Laws Found Dead in Prison
Deise Moura dos Anjos, who was accused of fatally poisoning three of her in-laws with arsenic-laced Christmas cake, was discovered dead in her prison cell.
According to local reports, prison authorities found her body during a routine check at the Guaíba Women’s State Penitentiary in Brazil. Officials confirmed that her death resulted from “self-inflicted mechanical asphyxiation.”
Deise had been in custody since January 5 after being arrested for allegedly poisoning a fruitcake she served to her family during Christmas celebrations. On Christmas Eve, seven family members fell seriously ill after consuming the cake, and three of them tragically passed away within hours. Tatiana Denize Silva dos Anjos and Maida Berenice Flores da Silva reportedly suffered fatal cardiac arrests, while Neuza Denize Silva dos Anjos succumbed to shock induced by food poisoning.
Authorities were also investigating Deise’s possible involvement in the death of her father-in-law, Paulo Luiz dos Anjos, who passed away in September from an intestinal infection. He had consumed bananas and powdered milk provided by Deise, and subsequent tests revealed traces of arsenic, suggesting deliberate poisoning.
For security reasons, Deise had recently been transferred from Torres Women’s State Prison to Guaíba. While she was under investigation for multiple deaths, officials are now examining the circumstances surrounding her own demise.
