
A pregnant teenager in Brazil was murdered by a woman who had suffered a miscarriage and sought to steal her unborn child.
According to authorities, 16-year-old Emilly Sena, who was nine months pregnant, was lured into Nataly Pereira's (25) house on the pretext of receiving free baby clothes. Once inside, Ms Sena was attacked, her baby was forcibly removed from the womb, and she was strangled to death.
Ms Pereira, who had recently suffered a miscarriage but kept it a secret from her family, reportedly contacted Emilly Sena through WhatsApp, offering to donate baby clothes, the authorities said.
To make the deception more convincing, Nataly Pereira even paid for the teenager's transport, according to a report in The New York Post.
Brazilian outlet g1 quoted the victim's devastated mother, Ana Paula Meridiane, as saying, “She [Pereira] said she had received a lot of baby clothes and wanted to donate some to Emilly [Sena].”
Emilly Sena's body was found buried in the backyard of Nataly Pereira's home in Cuiaba, which the latter shared with her husband, Christian de Arruda (28). Police reports suggest the teenager was strangled and that her body bore multiple wounds.
According to g1, in a statement to the police, Nataly Pereira admitted to orchestrating the murder of Emilly Sena with the intent of stealing her baby. She has confessed to strangling Ms Sena till she lost consciousness, binding her hands with internet cables, and digging a grave in advance to dispose of the body.
According to Ms Pereira, Emilly Sena briefly regained consciousness before dying. At that point, Nataly Pereira apologised to the teenager and told her that she would take good care of the baby.
Police Chief Caio Alexandre said Emilly Sena's abdomen bore T-shaped incisions, indicating the baby was removed while she was still alive. The autopsy confirmed that Emilly Sena tried to fight back but ultimately died of severe blood loss.
A forensic expert said the person who performed the incisions showed a high level of proficiency in cutting techniques, reported g1.
After the murder, Nataly Pereira rushed to a local hospital, claiming she had given birth at home. But medical staff quickly grew suspicious of her condition, the report added. A routine check-up confirmed that she was never pregnant, prompting an immediate police investigation.
Authorities arrested both Nataly Pereira and Christian de Arruda at the hospital as they attempted to register the stolen infant as their own.
The revelation led to Nataly Pereira admitting that she had committed the murder alone, although her husband is also under police scanner. Her legal representatives later said she had suffered a miscarriage six months ago but continued to pretend she was expecting.
Investigators are now working to determine the possible involvement of Christian de Arruda in the murder. While he claimed to have been unaware of Emilly Sena's murder, he had celebrated the baby's arrival, even sharing a photo online, declaring himself a new father.
Brazil's Homicide and Personal Protection Division is continuing its probe into the shocking crime, questioning de Arruda and two other suspects linked to the case.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world