A popular Brazilian social media star has died in a tragic incident after consuming homemade whiskey suspected to be contaminated with methanol during her 26th birthday celebrations.
A Celebration Turns to Tragedy
Yasmim Ângela Feitosa de Souza, a 26-year-old Instagram comedian from Petrolina in eastern Brazil, celebrated her birthday on a Monday night with her boyfriend and a guest. The group reportedly consumed a batch of homemade whiskey that had been purchased from a rural village outside São Bento do Una city.
According to her mother, Ozenilda Feitosa, who spoke to Brazilian news outlet g1, the group shared approximately one and a half litres of the bottle. The following day, while her boyfriend awoke feeling very unwell, Yasmim was reportedly in high spirits, joking with everyone and even accompanying her mother to the market and for lunch.
The Rapid Onset of Symptoms
The situation took a devastating turn that very night when Yasmim began to feel ill. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and she tragically succumbed to the suspected poisoning. Her boyfriend and the other guest who drank the whiskey were rushed to hospital, where they remain fighting for their lives.
An investigation into the untimely death is currently underway. Investigators have taken the remainder of the whiskey from the bottle for analysis to confirm the presence of toxic substances.
The Dangers of Methanol Poisoning
Methanol is a colourless liquid commonly used in industrial products like cleaning agents, solvents, and fuel additives. The National Institute of Health states that human poisoning most often occurs from consuming adulterated beverages.
Symptoms can include nausea, abdominal and muscle pain, visual disturbances ranging from blurred vision to complete blindness, dizziness, weakness, and disturbances of consciousness. In extreme cases, as seen here, it can be fatal.
The funeral for Yasmim Souza, who boasted 23,000 followers on Instagram, was held at the Campo da Esperança Cemetery in her hometown of Petrolina.
