A woman who gained notoriety for stabbing a Brazilian hairdresser over a displeasing haircut has been revealed to have faced arrest in the United Kingdom last year following an incident where she allegedly disrobed in a bar and assaulted law enforcement officers.
Details of the Stabbing Incident
Footage capturing the harrowing moment when Laís Gabriela Barbosa da Cunha extracted a kitchen knife from her handbag and drove it into the back of Eduardo Ferrari in São Paulo, after expressing dissatisfaction with her fringe, circulated widely online last week. The 27-year-old was subsequently apprehended on suspicion of wounding and making threats after being subdued by salon employees.
The victim's legal representative has stated that they intend to pursue charges of attempted homicide, further alleging that da Cunha employed a homophobic slur immediately prior to the stabbing.
UK Bar Incident and Mental Health Concerns
Overnight, Brazilian media identified da Cunha as the central figure in a peculiar event that occurred in a UK bar last year, culminating in her detention under Section 2 of the Mental Health Act. According to documentation obtained by Brazilian news outlet G1 from regional affiliate EPTV, the individual was admitted under Section 2 for a second time, with the first admission exhibiting a similar presentation. The document suggests these admissions are likely substance-related, noting an acute psychotic relapse with chaotic behaviour and aggression, posing risks to herself and others. It further states that she became agitated in a bar, removed her clothing, and assaulted police officers.
It remains unclear how the document was acquired, but da Cunha's defence team is expected to leverage it to argue that her recent actions were a consequence of mental health issues.
Details of the Attack
CCTV footage from the May 5 attack at the hair salon in São Paulo's Barra Funda neighbourhood depicts da Cunha standing beside stylist Eduardo Ferrari as he attended to another client. With his back turned, she produced a knife from her handbag and stabbed him between the shoulder blades. Two men promptly intervened and restrained da Cunha as Ferrari spun around in shock before rushing toward the exit in panic.
Additional footage shows da Cunha being held by security personnel while other hairdressers approached and struck her. She was later seen complaining while being restrained, awaiting police arrival. In her remarks, she referenced Cebolinha, a mischievous character known for spiky hair from a popular Brazilian comic series. She stated, 'He grabbed my hair and started chopping it up with thinning shears. If you can see it, my fringe looks like Cebolinha's, because he cut all my hair. I sent them a WhatsApp message and they didn't reply to me for two days.' She also admitted to using a homophobic slur in the same video.
Victim's Account and Aftermath
The victim later explained via the salon's Instagram that da Cunha had returned a month after her hair treatment demanding a refund, dissatisfied with the outcome. He noted that she became aggressive when the salon declined to reimburse her. The salon issued a statement saying, 'Our view is that what happened was a serious attempted homicide. Eduardo is deeply shaken as a result of what happened but fortunately he is okay and out of danger. We would like to reiterate that he always conducts his work with professionalism, zeal and respect for his clients.' Ferrari underwent an examination that found the wound to be superficial.
It is not yet known whether da Cunha faced prosecution over the UK bar incident.
