Daughter-in-Law of Baker Whose Christmas Cake Killed 3 Arrested on Murder Charges: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Maida Berenice Flores da Silva, Tatiana Denize Silva dos Anjos, Neuza Denize Silva dos Anjo.Photo:Jam Press; Tatiana Denize Facebook; Neuza Denize Facebook

Jam Press; Tatiana Denize Facebook; Neuza Denize Facebook

The daughter-in-law of a woman who prepareda Christmas cake that is believed to have killed three peopleand left three others hospitalized over the holidays, has reportedly been taken into custody.

On Sunday, Jan. 5, police arrested a woman identified only as “Deise” on suspicion of triple homicide and triple attempted homicide, according to local outlets includingO GloboandGZHciting police.

She is reportedly the daughter-in-law of Zeli Terezinha Silva dos Anjos, 61, who is thought to have prepared a homemade Brazilian Christmas cake called Bolo de Natal on Monday, Dec. 23., that caused the deaths of Tatiana Denize Silva dos Anjos, 43, Maida Berenice Flores da Silva, 58, and Neuza Denize Silva dos Anjos, 65.

Deise has been taken to the Torres Police Station, around 125 miles northeast of Porto Alegre, and is now being held at the Torres State Women’s Prison, reportedO Globo. She will appear in court on Monday, Jan. 6.

Maida Berenice Flores da Silva.Jam Press

Jam Press

The boy was discharged from the hospital on Friday, Jan. 3, but Zeli remains in the ICU in stable condition, perO Globo.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Paulo Luiz.Paulo Luiz Facebook

Paulo Luiz Facebook

Police are investigating whether arsenic was present inthe victims' blood, according toO Globo.

Police officer Marcos Vinícius Veloso said of the cake, “As soon as the 10-year-old boy ate it and also complained about the taste, [Zeli] kind of put her hand on top of the cake, [and said] ‘and now no one will eat it anymore’. And people started to feel sick at that moment,” per the translated article.

According to theWorld Health Organization(WHO), arsenic “is naturally present at high levels in the groundwater of several countries,” but “is highly toxic in its inorganic form.”

His death from food poisoning in September wasn’t investigated because it was considered natural,O Globopreviously stated.

“As we became aware of this fact today, we opened a police investigation and we are going to exhume this man’s body to check whether there was also poisoning,” Veloso said, per the Dec. 24 article.

source: people.com