A 17-year-old girl died in agony and a second was left fighting for her life after eating arsenic-dosed cupcakes sent by a rival who claimed they had stolen boyfriends from her.
Victim Ana Luiza de Oliveira Neves was overjoyed when the treats arrived at her home in Itapecerica da Serra, in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, by motorbike courier on 1st June.
An anonymous love note, apparently from a mystery admirer and signed with a heart, read (in Portuguese): "A treat for the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
Ana Luiza de Oliveira Neves, 17, poses in undated photo. She died after eating a poisoned cake in Itapecerica da Serra, Brazil on June 1, 2025. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
Delighted Ana gulped down the cakes and then asked mystified friends in a group chat who might have sent it, according to local media reports.
But within hours, the police said, Ana was suffering agonising stomach cramps and vomiting, and her father Silvio rushed her to hospital.
After treatment, she was allowed home, but died the next day from a cardiac arrest when she returned to the clinic in even worse pain, according to reports.
Picture shows the note sent to Ana Luiza de Oliveira Neves, 17, undated. She died after eating a poisoned cake in Itapecerica da Serra, Brazil on June 1, 2025. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
The app courier who had delivered the cake surrendered the sender's phone number to police after they used CCTV footage to read his number plate.
At first, the suspect, a 17-year-old girl who has not been named, denied sending the poisoned cake.
But under questioning, say police, she confessed to killing Ana and also poisoning another girl who had survived on 15th May.
Chillingly, the earlier cake came with an almost identical note saying: "A treat for the sweetest girl with the sweetest personality I've ever known."
Ana Luiza de Oliveira Neves, 17, poses in undated photo. She died after eating a poisoned cake in Itapecerica da Serra, Brazil on June 1, 2025. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
She admitted buying the poison online for just BRL 65 (GBP 8.50), and paying the courier BRL 5 (GBP 0.65) to deliver the deadly treats.
The mini cakes had been bought over the counter from luxury pastry shop Menina Trufa.
Owner Josielie Franca said: "This delivery was not made by our delivery boys. It was a delivery boy from an app.
"The product left the store and no one knows where it went."
The killer, now in custody awaiting trial, told police she had been "jealous" of her victims and blamed "self-esteem" issues.
Picture shows notes sent to Kamilly Vitoria Nogueira Da Silva and Ana Luiza de Oliveira Neves along with the poisoned cake, undated. Ana Luiza died after eating a poisoned cake in Itapecerica da Serra, Brazil on June 1, 2025. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
Local media reports say she blamed her victims for being dumped by two boyfriends.
She told police: "I didn't mean for anything really bad to happen. I thought they would just be sick and vomit."
Ana's grieving dad Silvio told local media: "It's very difficult for me. I lost the love of my life.
"My daughter turned 17 last week and there are no words to describe what I'm feeling.
"It's so difficult. Only God can give me strength, because my daughter didn't deserve this."
(Joseph Golder / newsX)