Samuel De Souza Frota, a 23-year-old Brazilian national, had been in the UK for only a matter of weeks before he was struck and killed by a train near Newton-le-Willows in April. His grieving family believes he was managing sex workers and have raised concerns about organ harvesting, but an inquest concluded there was no evidence of third-party involvement.
Inquest Reveals No Evidence of Foul Play
The inquest, held at Bootle Town Hall on July 7, was conducted by assistant coroner Elizabeth Wheeler. CCTV footage showed Samuel dressed in an aviator jacket, jeans, and Chelsea boots, moving steadily closer to the tracks in the 15–20 minutes before his death. Fatality investigator Leanne Callan of British Transport Police stated, “Officers attended the scene… There was no evidence there was third party involvement.”
Ms Callan added, “The most likely scenario is that he placed himself in front of that train. There is no evidence that he has fallen.”
Family's Organ Harvesting Claims Dismissed
Samuel’s family, who remained in Brazil and were not present at the inquest, had raised concerns about possible organ harvesting. Ms Wheeler directly asked Ms Callan, “Have you found any evidence that he was placed in front of that train in order to harvest his organs and cover it up?” Ms Callan replied, “No.”
In an unusually detailed post-mortem breakdown, Ms Wheeler read out a checklist of organs accounted for after Samuel’s death, addressing the family’s concerns. Samuel was pronounced dead at 7.14 pm, with Ms Wheeler stating he would have died instantly.
Disputed Suicide Note
The inquest briefly mentioned a note sent digitally to Samuel’s family, which they dispute as not written by Samuel. Ms Wheeler said, “The contents of the note are consistent with an attempt to take his own life… It seems to me that actually in this inquest I can disregard the note for the purpose of considering that Samuel's actions were with the intent of taking his own life.”
The note was typed, undated, and sent by a third party, according to Ms Wheeler.
Missing Phone, Whisky Bottles, and Links to Sex Work
Samuel’s phone has not been recovered; it is believed to be in the hands of someone claiming to be his friend. Two photos appeared on his Facebook profile on May 16, over a month after his death. A black rucksack found at the scene contained two “virtually empty” bottles of whiskey, a phone charger, and black reading glasses. Despite the alcohol, Samuel’s blood alcohol level was deemed low in toxicology tests.
Samuel’s LinkedIn profile listed him as a retailer for a men’s clothing store, but his mother, Neire Souza, claims he travelled to the UK to manage the schedule of sex workers and worked as a doorman. She told the Liverpool Echo, “Based on everything Samuel told me, I believe this psychological pressure contributed to him developing severe depression, which ultimately led him to take his own life.”
Samuel entered the UK via Dover from Calais on February 27, after spending about two-and-a-half months in Europe, including Belgium and Amsterdam.
Ongoing Questions
While the inquest has concluded, Samuel’s family continues to seek answers about his death, which remains shrouded in mystery due to alleged links to crime and sex work across Europe.
