Child, 5, Dies After Being Stung By Scorpion In Brazil Despite Being Given Serum Treatment

A five-year-old child has died in Brazil after being stung by a scorpion, despite being given an anti-scorpion serum.

The incident took place in the town of Valparaiso, which is located in the state of Sao Paulo in south-eastern Brazil, on Wednesday 15th December.

Young Felipe Barbosa Francisco was stung by the scorpion while he was playing at his great-grandmother’s house.

Felipe Barbosa Francisco, 5, pictured, died after being bitten by a scorpion while playing at his great-grandmother’s residence, in Valparaiso, Brazil, on 15th December. (Newsflash)

The young boy lived in the nearby town of Mirandopolis but would spend the school holidays at his great-grandmother’s house according to his aunt, who has been named in local media as Cleide Barbosa Francisco.

She said that the young boy had been stung when her mother was moving a sofa because it was raining. He was joking around then suddenly started screaming saying that an animal had bit him.

The aunt was called to the scene and she attempted to find the scorpion that had bitten her nephew.

Felipe Barbosa Francisco, 5, pictured, died after being bitten by a scorpion while playing at his great-grandmother’s residence, in Valparaiso, Brazil, on 15th December. (Newsflash)

She said: “We couldn’t find anything. He said his leg was hurting. I changed my clothes, my husband took the car and we went to Santa Casa de Valparaiso [hospital]. He started screaming in pain on the way.”

Felipe was given care at the hospital before being moved to Santa Casa de Aracatuba hospital where he received an anti-scorpion serum.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit but he did not survive and sadly passed away.

Valparaiso, Brazil, where Felipe Barbosa Francisco, 5, died after being bitten by a scorpion while playing at his great-grandmother’s residence, on 15th December. (Google Maps/Newsflash)

Cleide said: “He was an amazing and intelligent boy, it was like he had the mind of an adult. I’m devastated because we keep remembering everything that happened. It does not make sense.”

Felipe was buried on Thursday morning (16th December) in the local cemetery in Valparaiso.

The local council said in a statement that it would investigate the area where the incident took place and carry out cleaning work.