In Maceió, Brazil, on August 3, a 27-year-old mother named Fernanda Silva Valoz da Cruz Pinto encountered an elderly woman who offered a palm reading. The palm reader made a foreboding prediction about Pinto’s life and then gave her a piece of packaged chocolate. This seemingly innocent gesture would later have dire consequences.
Pinto consumed the chocolate, thinking little of it. According to her cousin, Bianca Cristina, the fact that it was still in its original packaging led her to believe it was safe. However, not long after, Pinto’s health took a turn for the worse. She began to vomit, her vision became blurred, and she felt a sudden weakness. These symptoms rapidly intensified, which alarmed her family.
While her relatives initially thought her gastritis and ulcer, pre-existing conditions, might be the cause, a text from Pinto changed this perspective. She wrote about the peculiar interaction with the elderly palm reader and the consumption of the chocolate. Given the palm reader’s age, Pinto had initially dismissed any potential harm.
Pinto was taken to the Santa Casa de Misericordia hospital. Unfortunately, her health continued to deteriorate, even presenting a nosebleed upon arrival. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, Pinto succumbed to her condition on August 4.
Two months after her death, a toxicology report from Pinto’s autopsy unveiled startling details. High concentrations of the pesticides sulfaphos and terbufos were detected in her system. Although these pesticides are associated with poisoning cases in Brazil, the report couldn’t definitively pinpoint the chocolate as the toxin’s source.
The family, devastated by their sudden loss, informed the authorities about the unidentified palm reader. The Civil Police are currently investigating, labeling the case as “death to be clarified.” Rumors suggest that the palm reader might have been contracted to harm Pinto. Yet, the actual reason behind this event remains enigmatic.
Lumenita Valoz, Pinto’s cousin, voiced the family’s anguish, emphasizing their reliance on the police to uncover the truth.
Pinto is survived by a nine-year-old daughter with special needs.