A 63-year-old woman who suffered severe burns from a fire during a family barbecue has died, leading to a murder investigation after a fight between a city councilman and his boyfriend.
Maria Inês Polatto, aged 63, passed away after enduring severe burns from a fire that erupted on March 6 during a barbecue in Itapuí, São Paulo. She had been hospitalized in critical condition at the State Hospital of Bauru since the incident, where approximately 75% of her body was burned. Despite medical efforts, she succumbed to her injuries on Thursday, March 19.
The tragic incident occurred amid an altercation between Matheus da Costa Aranha, a city councilman, and his boyfriend, José Ruster de Oliveira, who has been arrested on suspicion of causing the fire. Initially, the case was categorized as attempted homicide, but with Polatto’s death, it will now be treated as a homicide investigation by the Civil Police. The background of the dispute and the events leading to the fire are linked to the chaotic aftermath of the argument during the gathering.
This incident not only raises serious concerns about domestic violence and public safety during social gatherings but also spotlights the legal ramifications that often follow such tragic events in Brazil. Authorities are now tasked with thoroughly investigating the circumstances of Polatto's death and the motive behind the councilman’s and his boyfriend's altercation that led to her fatal injuries.
