Mother and Daughter Killed at Home During Birthday Party in São Paulo

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Nathalia Saldanha de Souza was stabbed to death at around 8:30 PM on Monday, October 12th, in her home in Guaianases (eastern São Paulo), where she was celebrating her 18th birthday with her family. Her mother, Priscila Saldanha, 38, also died.

The main suspect of the crime is the birthday girl’s ex-partner, who had not been arrested until this report was published. The likely motivation for the murder, according to police, was the suspect’s failure to accept the end of the relationship with the victim.

The suspect, whose identity has not been disclosed, went to the victims’ home in the morning to pick up their 2-year-old daughter because of the Children’s Day holiday, as recorded at the 53rd Police Station.

He and the girl spent the whole day together when, at around 8:30 PM, the suspect returned to the victims’ home alone. A barbecue was being held at the scene with approximately 12 guests, eight of whom were children, according to a statement to the police by one of Nathalia’s friends. No information about the 2-year-old child had been forwarded by the police until this report was published.

According to the witness, the ex-boyfriend called Nathalia to talk in the kitchen. A few minutes later, the friend heard the young woman scream for help, so he ran to the kitchen. Upon reaching the scene, he claims to have seen the suspect stabbing Priscila and Nathalia’s stepfather, also injured. When the criminal spotted the witness, “he started toward him with a knife, so fearing for his physical integrity [the witness] ran for safety and to call for help,” reads an excerpt from the police report.

However, while trying to open the home gate, the young man claimed that the suspect caught up with him, stabbing him on his right shoulder, and then he finally managed to run to the street. The young man found an acquaintance and was rushed to Santa Marcelina Hospital, where he was assisted and discharged.

While the witness was being assisted, the suspect allegedly escaped in a gray Fiat Palio, according to police. Nathalia, Priscila and the girl’s stepfather were rushed to Guaianases General Hospital, where the two women died and the 38-year-old man underwent surgery and remains hospitalized. His health condition has not been disclosed.

According to the SSP (Secretariat of Public Safety) the case was registered as attempted murder, domestic violence, and femicide (when the victim is killed for being a woman), under investigation by the 8th DDM (Women’s Defense Police Precinct).

ONE WOMAN KILLED PER DAY

Between January and August this year, 257 homicides of women were recorded in the state of São Paulo, one case per day, considering the period. Of this total, 109 were femicides, representing 42 percent of cases. The data are from the SSP.

Last year, there were 268 murders of women, 103 of which were femicides, in the latter case six less than over the same period this year. An increase of almost six percent during the Covid-19 pandemic.