A Brazilian influencer from Petrolina tragically passed away this week after consuming homemade whiskey allegedly contaminated with methanol during her 26th birthday celebration. Yasmim Ângela Feitosa de Souza, an Instagram personality with 23,000 followers, celebrated her birthday in her hometown. She and her boyfriend purchased the whiskey from a rural village outside São Bento do Una city and shared it with a friend at the party.
They consumed approximately one and a half liters of the whiskey, as reported by de Souza’s mother to a Brazilian news outlet. While her boyfriend felt unwell the next day, de Souza appeared cheerful and playful. However, she later fell ill and succumbed to the suspected poisoning, with her boyfriend and their friend also hospitalized for possible methanol poisoning.
Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding de Souza’s untimely death, confirmed by local reports. Methanol, a clear liquid used in various industries, poses a significant health risk to humans, often leading to poisoning when ingested unknowingly. The symptoms of methanol poisoning range from nausea and abdominal pain to visual impairment and, in severe cases, can be fatal.
The influencer’s mother mentioned that authorities have seized the remaining whiskey for testing. The influencer’s funeral was held at the Campo da Esperança Cemetery in Petrolina.