Restaurant boss 'tried to kill neighbour' with poisoned treat 'over £495 debt'

15 November 2023 , 13:20

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Tatiane de Souza Porto was arrested after four people were rushed to hospital (Image: Newsflash)

A restaurant owner has been arrested for allegedly attempting to poison her mechanic neighbour and his staff by giving them chocolates laced with rat killer over a debt of less than £500.

Tatiane de Souza Porto, 43, was arrested after her neighbour and three other people who ate the poisoned truffles fell seriously ill. Police swooped at her eatery Delicias da Tati - located in front of her creditors' workshop in the Fonseca neighbourhood in Niteroi municipality, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Friday.

She had borrowed BRL 3,000 - around £495 - from the man next door and one of his employees, who often visited her restaurant. But unable to repay the debt after repeated requests, she allegedly pumped the treats full of the toxic substance in April. The workshop owner and the other employee, along with their respective sons fell seriously ill after consuming the poisoned sweets and they were all rushed to hospital.

Police released images of the contaminated chocolates (Newsflash)

The victims in Niteroi, Brazil, claim she owed money to a mechanic (Newsflash)

The mechanic, who has not yet been named, spent 13 days in the intensive care unit. The other employee's son suffered a cardiac arrest, requiring an extended hospital stay. Suspecting foul play, the victims reported the case to the 78th Police Station and provided officers with the remaining chocolates as evidence.

Forensic analysis revealed the presence of a highly toxic substance called 'terbufos,' commonly found in insecticides and rat poison. The 3rd Criminal Court of the District of Niteroi opened and issued a preventive arrest warrant against de Souza Porto for attempted murder on November 7.

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

The police located de Souza Porto, who was reportedly attempting to hide at six different addresses buut she was eventually located and arrested. The investigation is ongoing, the force have confirmed.

Earlier this year in the same country, a mum died after eating chocolate sent to her on her birthday Lindaci Viegas Batista de Carvalho received the gift from an unknown person along with some flowers as a gift on her birthday. Ms Carvalho, 54, ate the chocolate and tragically died within hours.

Her family claim that the mum was poisoned and police opened an investigation. Expert from the Instituto Medico-Legal, a forensics body, had confirmed that there were traces of rat poison found in her body.

Sam Elliott-Gibbs