Child Dead, Two in Critical Condition After Man’s Ex Sent Poisoned Easter Eggs to New Family: Police

Jordélia Pereira Barbosa, 35, was allegedly caught on surveillance shared by local media Imperiatriz Online purchasing the chocolate eggs at a supermarket counter. Local authorities believe she then spiked them with poison before delivering them via courier to her ex’s new family on April 16, per multiple outlets, including FDamiao Noticias and The Daily Mail.

According to the latter’s reporting, the eggs arrived with a message to the new girlfriend of the man at the center of this alleged deadly “revenge” plot. “With love, to Mirian Lira. Happy Easter,” the note allegedly read.

According to The Standard, Lira’s seven-year-old son was sick “immediately” after he at the chocolate. He died the next day, on April 17, in the hospital. While a cause of death has not yet been confirmed, authorities expect to find he died from poisoning.

Lira and her 13-year-old daughter are listed in critical condition in the hospital, per the outlet.

Citing Imperiatriz Online, People further reports that Maranhão Civil Police believe this is the second premeditated attempt on Lira’s life, with investigators alleging that Barbosa had previously tried to offer the victim candy as part of “a chocolate-tasting session for employees at the supermarket where she worked.”

With receipts and the CCTV footage, as well as her ex-husband suggesting to them that she might be involved in the attack on his new family, police arrested Barbosa on April 17. She was found on a bus headed to her hometown of Santa Inês, wearing a blonde wig at the time.

Additional photos shared by Imperiatriz Online showed a funnel and spoon, that police believe she used to lace the chocolates with poison.

The receipts covered the purchase of the eggs, cards, scissors, a saw knife, and suspected drugs in Barbosa’s possession, per The Standard, as well as two wigs. The suspect reportedly admitted to buying and sending the chocolates, but not to poisoning the eggs.

Investigators are testing the remaining uneaten chocolate eggs for poison, as well as the body of the deceased seven-year-old, and his mother and older sister.

“The evidence suggests, based on several points investigated, that the crime was motivated by revenge and jealousy,” Security official Maurício Martins said in a statement received by The Standard, “given that the author’s ex-husband is the current partner or boyfriend of the victim, who was poisoned along with her two children.”

“There are several indications that clearly point to this woman being the perpetrator of the crime. The police will continue working to strengthen this evidence and present her to the Judiciary to answer for this barbaric crime.”