Breastfeeding mum and baby die after father’s rat poison act

A father has been accused of feeding his breastfeeding wife and baby rat poison before burying their bodies in the woods.

A woman and her baby have died after the mum was allegedly fed rat poison by her husband.

Luiz Edivaldo de Souza, 35, has been accused of killing his wife, mum Josiele Lopes, 36, and their infant son in Itapema, in Brazil by putting poison in her food.

Ms Lopes was breastfeeding her baby at the time and it’s believed the chemicals contaminated the milk and killed her baby.

De Souza was charged in October last year, and this week a court ruled he’d face trial in front of a jury in his home city of Itapema. He faces charges of homicide, concealment of a corpse and procedural fraud.

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Mum Josiele Lopes and her three month old baby died after she was fed rat poison by her husband. Picture: @josi.lopes.988/Newsflash

Ms Lopes and her baby disappeared on September 15 last year. Picture: Newsflash

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Ms Lopes and her baby were first reported missing on September 15 last year. Their bodies were found by police a week later.

Before they were found, De Souza, then 34, sent messages to Ms Lopes’ family members pretending to be her, before blocking her contacts.

A police investigation was launched when the mum’s eldest son, 17, contacted authorities and filed a police report.

The investigation concluded de Souza poisoned Ms Lopes’ food with rat poison, and after consuming it, she breastfed her baby.

She later became sick and asked to go to the hospital.

But her husband drove her 118km away from their home to a forest in Rio dos Cedros, in Santa Catarina in Brazil.

The mum and the baby had already died by the time they arrived at the destination.

De Souza buried their bodies in the area.

Police believe Ms Lopes may have tried to separate from her husband before the killing.

The 35-year-old’s legal team has until the end of next week to appeal the decision to have his case tried in front of a jury.

If the decision isn’t appealed he will face trial for homicide, concealment of a corpse and procedural fraud.