Cops have discovered footage that may show the man who murdered a heavily pregnant Brazilian woman whose body was later found with her baby missing from her womb.

Forensic analysis revealed that the woman may have gone into labour during the murder after which the suspect allegedly fled the scene with the baby.

Manicurist Thaysa Campos dos Santos, 23, was found dead in a stream beside a railway line in the neighbourhood of Deodoro in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in September last year.

She was eight months pregnant at the time, yet her unborn baby was missing from her womb, with the post-mortem implying that she had given birth naturally.

The newly-released CCTV footage dated to 4th September last year purportedly shows her last moments.

She is accompanied by a man who walks with her and grabs her by the neck when she attempts to turn around and retrace her steps. He is then seen forcing her to walk to the place where she was later found dead.

The police are currently trying to identify him.

According to information divulged by local media in July this year, Thaysa was separated from the father of her two children, and the baby, due in October last year, was the result of a relationship with a married man.

Nelson Massini, professor of forensic medicine at Rio de Janeiro State University, said at the time that Thaysa may have gone into labour while she was being murdered, with the newborn then likely kidnapped.

The victim’s mother, educational psychologist Jaqueline Campos, said at the time: “I want to make an appeal to the authorities: if this child is alive, I want my granddaughter back. I need my little granddaughter.”

The investigation continues.