Homicide Investigation Linked to Arsenic Cake

Brazilian police have launched a homicide investigation following the deaths of three women after consuming a Christmas cake believed to be laced with arsenic. The cake was prepared by 61-year-old Zeli Terezinha Silva dos Anjos, who also fell ill after eating it, along with her 10-year-old great-nephew. The deceased women, aged 43, 58, and 65, were among six family members who consumed the cake during a gathering on December 23 in Torres, Brazil. Authorities have discovered a 'mysterious white liquid' in Zeli's home and are investigating whether the poisoning was intentional or negligent. While police have not yet charged Zeli, they are also planning to exhume the body of her late husband, who died under suspicious circumstances in September. Initial tests confirmed arsenic in the blood of the deceased, leading investigators to treat the case as a potential manslaughter.