A disturbing case of alleged labor exploitation and violent assault has emerged from Paço do Lumiar, Maranhão, involving a 19-year-old domestic worker who is six months pregnant. The young woman has provided testimony detailing a harrowing ordeal at the hands of her former employer, businesswoman Carolina Sthela Ferreira dos Anjos.
According to the victim's statement to the 21st Civil Police Station of Araçagy, her employment began in early April after contact through a messaging app. She was offered a month of work but claims she started without a formal agreement on wages. Her duties were extensive, including cleaning, cooking, laundry, ironing, and caring for her employer's six-year-old child. She reports working from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, with only a 30-minute break, accumulating nearly ten hours of labor daily.
For this demanding schedule, the worker states she received a total of R$ 750, paid in installments through transfers made in the names of third parties. The alleged assault occurred on April 17th, following an accusation that the worker had stolen a jewelry ring. The victim denies the accusation, and the ring was later found in a laundry basket at the residence.
The worker's testimony describes a brutal attack. She alleges she was subjected to hair-pulling, punches, and slaps, and was thrown to the floor. The assault reportedly continued for an extended period. "It started with hair-pulling. I was thrown to the floor and spent a good part of the time there. It was slaps, punches... it was non-stop. They didn't care," the young woman stated. She emphasized that she spent the entire time trying to protect her pregnant abdomen, which prevented kicks but left the rest of her body covered in bruises.
The situation escalated further with the arrival of an unidentified man, described as tall, strong, and dark-skinned, who allegedly came to the house armed to assist in the violent intimidation. The victim also reported being threatened with death by Carolina Sthela if she reported the incident to the police.
The case has drawn significant institutional attention. The Human Rights Commission of the Brazilian Bar Association (OAB) of Maranhão has formally requested the preventive detention of Carolina Sthela. The OAB's report classifies the crime as aggravated torture—due to the victim's pregnancy—along with bodily injury, threats, and defamation. The organization also highlighted the employer's extensive criminal history, which includes a prior conviction for qualified theft with a sentence of over six years, a conviction for defamation for making false accusations against employees, and multiple domestic violence cases and protective orders.
Adding another layer to the investigation, four Military Police officers who initially responded to the assault call have been removed from their duties. This action followed the release of audio messages, obtained by TV Mirante, in which Carolina Sthela allegedly describes the assault and claims she was not taken to the police station because one of the responding officers was her acquaintance. In one audio, she reportedly states the victim "wasn't supposed to have come out alive."
As of the latest reports, Carolina Sthela Ferreira dos Anjos has not been arrested or formally indicted. The investigation is being conducted by the 21st Civil Police Station of Araçagy. The victim continues to recover from the physical and emotional trauma of the alleged attack. Based on reporting from g1.