A task force continues to search for baby Ana Beatriz, who has been missing since Friday, April 11, 2025, in the municipality of Novo Lino, Alagoas. The police say that the investigations are being hampered by the changes in the mother's testimony, Eduarda Silva de Oliveira, 22 years old, who has been formally heard four times and informally several other times.
According to the delegates, the mother has presented five different versions for the disappearance of her daughter. The initial version was that the baby had been kidnapped. In this first account, the mother reported that she was accompanied by her newborn daughter and her five-year-old son, waiting for the school bus, when a black Classic car approached, and its occupants kidnapped Ana Beatriz, fleeing towards Pernambuco.
However, security camera images and witness statements indicate that the woman left and returned home alone, without any sign of the presence of the vehicle or third parties. "At no time did she leave the highway, and at no time was she holding the baby in her arms. We checked all vehicles; none passed by at low speed to announce this kidnapping," said Delegate João Marcello.
The second version involved only one woman taking the child. The mother alleged that a black car had approached, but it only had the driver and a blonde woman in the back seat pointing a firearm, and she handed the child through the car window to this woman. This version was also dismissed by the police based on the same evidence as the first.
In her third version, the mother retracted the information about firearms and stated that the men had knives. Just like the previous versions, there was no image or witness to prove the approach, nor any signs of struggle or resistance. The fourth version involved being approached by people on foot, with the mother saying that she was approached by two men who were walking along the highway with knives in their hands, who threatened her and took the baby from her arms by force. Again, this account lacked proof.
Finally, the fifth version involved alleged sexual violence. The mother claimed that she had left the gate of her residence open and around midnight, two hooded men, with coats and gloves, entered and committed sexual abuse against her, subsequently taking the child by means of serious violence and threats. She detailed that the threats were made with a firearm pointed at her head and the action lasted about 20 minutes. Neither her five-year-old son nor the baby had woken up during this time, so they did not cry. She stated that she did not scream because she was afraid, which she said is why no neighbors could have known.
However, the delegates stated that the situation was checked. She was referred for care at the Victims' Care Network (RAV), but the examinations carried out did not find any evidence of rape. The searches resumed on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, after starting on the afternoon of Monday, April 14, 2025, including assistance from sniffer dogs, but no trace was found.
The Fire Department is sweeping the region and has expanded the area where the work is being done, including the city dump. "We continue with the investigation considering that the child may be alive with another family. We don't know yet if she was delivered for some economic advantage or if she was given away. Unfortunately, we also consider the possibility that little Ana Beatriz is dead," said Delegate João Marcello, one of the investigators.
Despite the inconsistencies in the mother's accounts, the Civil Police emphasizes that the priority is to locate Ana Beatriz alive. The population can collaborate with information through the Disque Denúncia 181.
On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the situation took a tragic turn. The body of baby Ana Beatriz was discovered in a closet in the backyard of her mother's house in Alagoas. After changing her version about the alleged kidnapping five times, the mother was convinced by her lawyer to reveal the truth. The Federal Highway Police isolated the location while forensic experts were awaited.
According to reports, the body was found wrapped in a plastic bag inside a pot with powdered soap, hidden in a closet. It remains unclear whether the girl died of natural causes or was murdered. The Secretary of Public Security of Alagoas has not disclosed whether the child's mother was arrested or if she confessed to any crime.
The Civil Police had initially treated the case as a kidnapping, but as the investigation progressed, the mother presented different versions. Investigators had access to images from cameras and testimonies from witnesses that contradicted her initial claims. When confronted with new information, the mother presented at least four other versions.
Originally, she claimed that the baby was kidnapped by four people who got into a car and fled toward Pernambuco. However, images from cameras and witness statements indicated that the mother had left home directly to a neighbor's house without the child, and no vehicle was seen passing at low speed.
Following the discovery of the body, a crowd gathered outside Eduarda's house, visibly shaken and threatening to invade the premises. An ambulance was called to assist the mother, who reportedly fainted upon learning that her baby had been found. The local police presence was increased to prevent any potential violence against her.
The lawyer representing the family expressed disbelief, stating, "I still had hope of finding the child alive. I believe in my client. There were several versions, but we spent two hours here, and she maintained the same version." The community remains in shock as the investigation continues.
