Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
Video Credit: CEN
This is the moment a daughter is filmed putting her hand on her elderly mother’s nose and mouth in hospital in an alleged attempt to suffocate her.
Daughter Luciana Paula Figueiredo, 32, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to suffocate her mother Ana Benedita Figueiredo, 68, in her hospital bed in the Dr Carlos Macieira Hospital in the city of Sao Luis in the Brazilian state of Maranhao.
The footage was reportedly recorded by other patients and shows a hand being placed over the OAP’s nose and mouth.
The hand appears to be pushing some of the bedding towards the woman’s mouth and the OAP lifts her hand at one point.
Local media report daughter Luciana was arrested at the scene and later charged with attempted homicide while her mother was taken to the intensive care unit.
Ana Benedita has been in the hospital since 19th January after suffering a pulmonary embolism.
Sources from the Civil Police reportedly said initial investigations point to the daughter wanting to kill her mother as she was tired of looking after her as she needs assistance because of her serious health problems.
Cops are also investigating if the daughter tried to tamper with her mother’s medication after they reportedly found a syringe in one of her bags.
Local superintendent Carlos Alessandro said “we have information on what motivated this criminal act being the daughter being tired of taking care of an elderly mother, who has several health problems. And according to what was passed on by the on-duty officer, this could have been one of the causes of this very serious criminal act against the mother, committed by her daughter.”
Picture Credit: CEN 
Picture Credit: CEN
He added that the suspect claimed she “had a normal relationship with her mother” and had “put her hand on her mother’s mouth with a different aim, that it had nothing to do with killing her”.
Judge Janaina Araujo de Carvalho has ordered the suspect be kept in preventative prison while her lawyers are reportedly working to prove she suffers from mental disorders.
The defence claim the suspect has “borderline personality order” and “panic syndrome”. They added: “Before the case, she was already undergoing medical treatment. We ask that she continue her treatment at a suitable establishment. If it doesn’t continue, it could make her condition worse.”
The judge has reportedly ordered the suspect undergo a biopsychosocial evaluation. The case is ongoing and the suspect remains in preventative prison.
The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
