Brazilian cops are searching for a man suspected of stabbing his partner to death at their home while her children slept just hours after the family celebrated her 30th birthday.

Telma Gervasio Dias was stabbed to death at her home in the Brazilian municipality of Sao Miguel do Oeste in the early hours of 11th May.

Hours before her death, the victim posted a photo of herself on social media and thanked her friends for their well-wishes, writing: “Nothing but gratitude. I’ve turned 30.”

She also posted a video in which she thanked her friends again and advised them to take precautions against COVID-19 because “it’s no joke”.

Police officers called to the scene at around 4am found her dead in the bedroom while her two children, aged 8 and 3, slept in the next room and in a cot in the living room.

They found her lying on her bloodstained bed with numerous stab wounds to her back.

The prime suspect is Telma’s 29-year-old partner, who is the three-year-old girl’s biological father. He has not been found by the police and is believed to have gone on the run.

Before fleeing, he reportedly told his relatives that he stabbed his partner. His relatives then called the police, who are now searching for him with the help of sniffer dogs.

The victim’s brother, Savio Gervasio Dias, told the news site G1 that his sister had been with her partner since 2015.

He said: “We asked her so many times to get out of the relationship. They had a very volatile relationship.”

The man, who has not been named, reportedly has an extensive criminal record, including attempted murder, non-compliance with an injunction, domestic violence and intimidation.

According to reports, Telma had even taken out a restraining order against him, which she later revoked.

Telma worked as a chef and originally hailed from Manaus, 1,688 miles away from Sao Miguel do Oeste as the crow flies.

It is unclear who is now looking after the children.

The search for the suspect continues.