The daughter-in-law of a woman who baked a Christmas cake that left three of her relatives dead has been sensationally arrested by police on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Deise Moura was held yesterday by police at the home she shares with her husband Diego.
Deise’s mother-in-law Zeli Dos Anjos made the traditional festive treat which killed her two sisters as well as her niece at a family Christmas party at Torres near Porto Alegre in southern Brazil on December 23.
Zeli is still in hospital fighting for her life, while her two sisters Maida da Silva, 58, and Neuza Dos Anjos, 65, both died along with Neuza’s daughter Tatiana Dos Santos, 43.
Other family members affected were Zeli’s great nephew aged 10.
Maida’s husband Jefferson tried the cake and immediately fell ill. Neuza’s husband Joao did not eat the treat because he doesn’t like cake.
Just days ago, MailOnline revealed that Zeli’s husband Paulo, 68, died in September from food poisoning after eating a banana that had been contaminated.
The dramatic development was shared exclusively with MailOnline by the Torres police chief who said Deise had been arrested at her home in Nova Santa Rita late on Sunday.
Deise Moura (pictured) is the daughter-in-law of Zeli Dos Anjos who made the Christmas cake in Brazil that killed three member of her family. Deise is married to Zeli’s son Diego. She was arrested at her home on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, police in Brazil have said
Zeli made the ‘arsenic-laced’ cake for her family on December 23 – but the cake killed her two sisters and her niece. Zeli remains in hospital along with her great nephew aged 10
This is the Christmas cake made by Zeli that left three of her family dead on December 23
Marcus Vinicius Veloso said: ‘The woman was arrested for triple homicide and a triple attempted homicide.
‘She was taken initially to a police station at Canoas, then to Torres police station and is now in the women’s jail in the city, at this moment we cannot say anything else.’
Last week police said they are ‘not aware of any disputes within the family’ but are keeping an open mind while waiting for results from lab tests which are due back any day.
Provisional reports revealed arsenic was found in the blood of the victims.
The group of seven at the Christmas party complained the cake Zeli baked tasted ‘bitter and peppery’ within minutes all were vomiting and a fleet of ambulances was called to take them to hospital.
Deise Moura (pictured) was arrested for triple homicide and a triple attempted homicide
Deise was taken initially to a police station at Canoas, then to Torres police station and is now in the women’s jail in the city
Deise is a mother of one and was arrested at her home in Nova Santa Rita late on Sunday
Zeli’s great nephew Matheus Marques da Silva, 10, survived eating the poisoned cake. He is pictured here with his father as he recovers in hospital in Brazil
Zeli’s sister Maida da Silva (left), 58, died after eating the cake at the family’s Christmas party on December 23. Zeli’s niece Tatiana dos Anjos (right), 43, also died
Neuza dos Anjo, 65, was rushed to hospital in critical condition before dying the following day
Maida, a retired teacher, was the first to die on Christmas Eve while her sister Neuza passed away a few hours later, followed by Neuza’s daughter Tatiana.
Just days ago, a relative exclusively told MailOnline that she thought someone with a ‘grudge’ had been responsible for targeting the family describing the tragedy as ‘strange’.
When contacted by MailOnline to ask for her reaction to the arrest, Isabel Moraes, 54, said: ‘The whole family is shocked. We just don’t know what to say, someone who is so close to us, we never imagined it.’
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