Ms Pinto was stopped by an old woman who asked to read her palm
In a shocking incident, a 27-year-old woman from Brazil died after eating chocolate given by a palm reader who had predicted that she didn't have long to live. Fernanda Valoz Pinto's mysterious and untimely death happened in August, this year.
The victim's cousin Bianca Cristina told Globo 1, "She vomited, her vision was a bit blurred, her body was soft… it was a matter of hours."
The tragedy took place when Ms Pinto was walking through the city centre of Maceio, Brazil — a mecca for fortune tellers, the New York Post reported.
Ms Pinto was stopped by an old woman who asked to read her palm. The old woman predicted that the mother of one had a few days to live. She gave Ms. Pinto a chocolate as a gift.
Ms Pinto's cousin shared the details of how she died after eating that chocolate. "As [the candy] was packaged, it didn't occur to her (that it could pose any danger). And as she was hungry, she decided to eat it," she said.
Soon after, Ms Pinto started feeling ill and shared her ordeal with her family through text messages.
"My heart is racing. I've thrown up. But I have this taste in my mouth. So bitter. Bad. My vision is blurry. I'm so weak," Ms Pinto described.
She continued, "I leant on the water tank. I almost fell. I almost met God. I don't know why I'm like this, sis. I've been feeling bad all day."
Ms. Pinto had preexisting conditions, including gastritis and an ulcer, the family didn't initially suspect foul play, a New York Post report said. The family grew suspicious after she talked about her encounter with the palm reader.
"Because I accepted a chocolate in the city centre. I ate it. After that, I felt sick,” Ms Pinto had texted before her death. “At the time, it didn't even cross my mind. She was an old lady.”
She was rushed to the hospital by her cousin to the Santa Casa de Misericordia hospital. Despite the doctor's best efforts, Ms Pinto could not be saved. She died on August 4.
A toxicology report revealed that Ms Pinto's body had harboured high concentrations of the pesticides sulfotep and terbufos.
“These substances are highly prevalent in cases of poisoning, [and] intoxication in Brazil due to their easy access, despite being regulated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply,” said Thalmanny Goulart, Head of the Chemistry and Toxicology Laboratory that analyzed her samples.
However, it could not be confirmed if the chocolate killed her.
Police are trying to find out if the fortune teller was hired to kill Ms Pinto.