A mother and her teenage daughter died from ricin poisoning after a family Christmas meal in Italy, prompting a murder inquiry. Antonella Di Ielsi, 50, and 15-year-old Sara Di Vita fell ill on December 23 following a lunch at their home in Pietracatella. Initially believed to be food poisoning, the deaths were later linked to the deadly toxin ricin.
Sara was taken to hospital twice but discharged; she died on December 27. Antonella developed identical symptoms and passed away the next morning. Antonella's husband, Gianni Di Vita, 55, also became severely ill with nausea and vomiting and was hospitalised in Rome. He has since been discharged and said: 'I'm feeling better, but I still can't understand what happened.'
Dr Vincenzo Cuzzone of Cardarelli Hospital described the case: 'The clinical picture took a truly rare turn, which quickly led to death, despite the care we provided. They began to show these symptoms after a meal.' He noted that the rapid progression prompted them to admit the mother as a precaution, but it was not enough.
None of the guests who attended a separate Christmas Eve dinner fell ill, leading investigators to focus on the earlier meal. The couple's eldest daughter, Alice, 19, who was absent on December 23, also showed no symptoms. Police have seized food items including clams, mussels, cuttlefish, cod, flour and jars of mushrooms.
Laboratory tests in Italy and Switzerland confirmed ricin, a highly lethal poison. Authorities are investigating premeditated double murder but have not identified any suspects or motives. The family home remains under police control as the inquiry continues.
