A Cuban resident in Brazil set fire to his house with six family members inside, resulting in the death of one of his children—a three-month-old baby—and the maternal grandmother of the infant, who was the mother-in-law of the perpetrator.
The tragedy occurred in the early hours of last Saturday in a 100-square-meter home located in the Vila Rica neighborhood in the city of Criciúma, in the southern state of Santa Caterina.
The residence housed seven family members, all of Cuban origin: the perpetrator (32 years old), his wife (31), his mother-in-law (51), his mother-in-law's partner (58), and three children: a 12-year-old stepdaughter and three-month-old twins (a girl and a boy), according to local media reports.
The incident began when the assailant, identified as Michael Zanabria Díaz, threw a bottle of gasoline after arguing with his wife, who is currently hospitalized with severe burns.
In addition to the two fatalities, the Cuban man also seriously stabbed his wife's stepfather during the violent act.
When the Firefighters arrived at the scene around 2:30 a.m., the fire was already in full development. During subsequent operations, they discovered the charred bodies of the grandmother and the baby girl, who were sleeping in the same room at the time of the fire.
According to a version of events published by a Brazilian news outlet, the man locked his mother-in-law and the baby in the room where they perished and managed to save the other twin himself. The 12-year-old girl and the baby boy were unharmed.
The Civil Police, Scientific Police, Legal Medical Institute, SAMU, Military Firefighters, and Child Protection Council all responded to the incident. Although he attempted to flee, the Cuban man charged with double homicide and attempted femicide was taken to the Regional Guard Center of the Police for the necessary proceedings.
However, according to the Civil Police, the man was found dead in his cell on the same Saturday morning, possibly due to suicide.
Crime reporter Niover Licea noted that the family was originally from Cárdenas, Matanzas and had been in Brazil for just a year and a half. The family back in Cuba is devastated and is seeking help to repatriate the bodies and cover the medical expenses of the survivors.
FAQs About the Tragedy in Brazil
The tragic incident involving a Cuban family in Brazil has raised several questions. Here, we address some of the most common inquiries.
What caused the fire in the house?
The fire was started intentionally by Michael Zanabria Díaz, who threw a bottle of gasoline after an argument with his wife.
How many people were in the house during the fire?
There were seven family members in the house, all of Cuban origin.
Who were the victims of this tragic incident?
The victims were a three-month-old baby girl and her maternal grandmother.
What happened to the perpetrator?
The perpetrator, Michael Zanabria Díaz, was found dead in his cell, possibly from suicide, after being arrested for double homicide and attempted femicide.