The body of a missing woman has been found buried under the home she shared with her two children and her partner.
Jéssica Rayara was last seen alive on February 5.
Neighbours reported that the victim’s two children, aged five and two, were spotted home alone the day before.
The 22-year-old’s body was found buried under her home in Ituporanga, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, on February 7.
During the two days Jéssica was missing, her partner was brought to the police station for questioning before being released.
The authorities spotted several contradictions in his statement and carried out an extensive search of the family home.
After digging up the body, the police requested a temporary arrest warrant for Jéssica’s partner, name not disclosed, from the Public Ministry.
Officers then located the suspect at his brother’s home near the crime scene.
He was arrested by the Civil Police on February 7.
According to the police, Jéssica reported her partner for domestic abuse in 2022.
A police spokesperson said: “She filed a police report last year. She had no injuries, there were no witnesses indicated.”
The authorities are carrying out an autopsy on the victim’s body to establish her cause of death.
The couple’s two young children are currently being cared for by the local authorities.
The suspect has been taken to a preventive prison as the investigation continues.
In another part of Brazil a "cheerful" 10-year-old girl tragically died after she was injured in a drive-by shooting while playing in the street.
Rafaelly da Rocha Vieira was just two days away from her 11th birthday when she was hit in the random attack on Saturday.
The youngster had been playing with friends on the busy street in Sao Joao de Meriti when a stray bullet struck her in the chest.
Rafaelly's mother rushed out of her house immediately afterwards and raised her into her arms, say witnesses, reportedly shouting "my daughter!"
The shots were reported by locals to have come from a passing car, according to Civil Police.
Rafaelly was still alive when she was rushed to a local emergency unit, but she soon went into cardiac arrest.
