CARNIVAL CATASTROPHE: Girl, 11, Dies In Freak Accident After Falling From Float

This 11-year-old girl has tragically died following a freak accident that saw her pressed between a float and a pole at Rio’s famed carnival.

Raquel Antunes da Silva bravely fought for her life for 36 hours at the Souza Aguiar Municipal Hospital, but she eventually succumbed to internal bleeding on Friday, 22nd April.

She had been in a critical condition in intensive care and even had one of her legs amputated following the freak accident at the famed carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Newsflash

The accident took place on the opening night of carnival, when little Raquel reportedly left her mum and climbed atop a float leaving the Sambadrome parade area.

However, she is reported to have fallen and been left sandwiched between the float from the Em Cima da Hora samba school and a pole.

The Civil Police (Brazil’s investigative police force) are currently studying CCTV footage of the incident as they investigate allegations of manslaughter and if the samba school breached safety regulations.

Newsflash

Em Cima da Hora, which translates as ‘in the nick of time’, and the LIGA RJ (carnival league) have expressed regret over young Raquel’s untimely death.

However, they have come in for criticism after they apparently failed to respond to allegations of a lack of support for Raquel’s grieving family.

The tragedy has left the family, not least of all mum Marcela Portelinha Antunes, who is three months pregnant, bereft.

Newsflash

The Rio de Janeiro municipal authorities said they have provided basic food baskets, as well as social workers and psychologists.

The legendary Rio carnival kicked off this year on Wednesday, 20th April, and will bow out on Saturday, 30th April.

The festivities are normally held before Lent, but they were postponed this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Newsflash

It is the first time the carnival is being held since the coronavirus pandemic.