In a disturbing case from Paço do Lumiar, Maranhão, a military police officer has been identified as a suspect in the brutal assault of a pregnant domestic worker. The state's governor, Carlos Brandão, confirmed the officer's identity and stated that a judge has ordered his preventive arrest. The officer is now facing an internal affairs investigation by the Maranhão Military Police.
The primary suspect, businesswoman Carolina Sthela Ferreira dos Anjos, was arrested earlier in the day in the city of Teresina, Piauí. Her defense attorney confirmed the arrest, stating that the preventive arrest warrant issued by the Maranhão courts was being carried out. The attorney added that her client would respond to the charges and comply with all judicial measures.
The victim, a 19-year-old woman who is five months pregnant, provided a harrowing account of the attack. She stated she was subjected to hair-pulling, punches, slaps, and was knocked to the ground. Throughout the ordeal, she tried to protect her abdomen. The violence allegedly began after the employer accused her of stealing a piece of jewelry, which was later found in a laundry basket. Even after the item was recovered, the assaults reportedly continued.
According to the victim's testimony, the attacks lasted for hours and involved both the employer and an unidentified man she described as tall, strong, and dark-skinned. She also reported being threatened with death if she reported the incident to the police. The Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) has classified the crimes as aggravated torture, bodily injury, threats, and defamation.
Audio messages sent by the employer and obtained by local media paint a chilling picture. In one recording, Carolina Sthela allegedly states the victim "wasn't supposed to have come out alive." She describes the prolonged assault in detail, mentioning slaps, punches, and stomping on the victim's fingers, and confirms the involvement of an armed man.
The case has also led to the suspension of four military police officers who initially responded to the incident. This action came after audio recordings surfaced in which the employer claimed she was not taken to the police station because she knew one of the responding officers. The officer allegedly told her that, due to the victim's bruises, she should have been arrested, but was not.
Further investigation has revealed that the employer has over ten legal cases pending against her. In a 2024 case, she was convicted of defamation for falsely accusing a former nanny of theft. The victim in the current case also reported receiving a meager payment of R$750 for over two weeks of work, during which she performed multiple household tasks for nearly 10 hours a day.
Based on reporting from g1.