Workers from a bungee company have appeared in court after a model fell to her death because her safety cord was not attached. Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas plunged 130 feet from the Skeleton bridge in Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil, in front of horrified witnesses who shouted, 'the rope people, the rope.'
Arrests and Court Appearance
Three men were arrested on charges of homicide with eventual intent. They were taken to court on Monday, where they claimed there was a 'blackout' during the setup and 'can't remember' who was supposed to attach the safety cord. The suspects have been identified as Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42, Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, and Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27. They have been remanded in custody.
Lack of Clear Responsibilities
Luis Felipe, who earned just £26.50 per jump, told police that team members did not have set responsibilities during jumps and that equipment checks were carried out 'jointly.' When asked who was responsible for the final safety checks, he replied, 'I can't remember.' Maicon Fernandes Cintra reportedly gave the same answer. Their lawyer, Rafael Gomes dos Santos, said, 'They are in a state of shock. They cannot explain what happened because they have been doing this for years. Nothing like this has ever happened.'
The Incident
Videos show Maria Eduarda being carried horizontally in a 'Superman' pose at the top of the abandoned railway bridge. After she was thrown off, instructors looked down as the camera showed the safety line still lying on the platform. Her mother, Valdenia, expressed her grief online, saying, 'That damned rope took you away from me forever. My beloved daughter, you are gone and all that remains here is pain and longing. I will love you forever.'
Social Media Posts
Moments before her death, Maria Eduarda posted photos on Instagram of the company representatives organizing the jump. She had shared pictures of the venue and wrote, 'Who was the crazy person who let me jump off a bridge?' alongside a photo of an Entre Cordas banner. The jump involved bungee operator Entre Cordas and instructor brand Ih Voei. Entre Cordas's Instagram page, which advertised 'a jump to the extraordinary,' was reportedly taken down after the incident.
