On August 5, 2025, in Teresina, Brazil, a day meant for celebration turned into unimaginable grief. Four-year-old Alice Brasil Souza da Paz had just celebrated her birthday with her twin brother Arthur and their classmates at the Kennedy Unit of CEV School. Hours later, she was gone.
The accident occurred in the school’s playroom, where five children were waiting for afternoon activities. Alice was lying on the floor when another child crawled under a dressing table. As the child stood up, the furniture tipped and fell—crushing Alice beneath it. Teachers rushed to help, removing the table and carrying her to the infirmary. A nurse began first aid and called emergency services. But despite their efforts, Alice succumbed to her injuries before reaching the hospital.
Her twin brother Arthur witnessed everything. He saw the blood, the panic, and the silence that followed. The trauma of losing his sister—his wombmate, playmate, and mirror—now haunts him.
Their parents, Dayana Brasil and Army Major Claudio Sousa, had dropped them off that morning, joyful and proud. Hours later, they received the call no parent should ever hear. First, they were told a toy had fallen. Then, the story changed. To this day, they say, no clear explanation has been given.
Claudio, speaking through tears, said, “My birthday was yesterday. My present was to bury my daughter.” The coffin became the cruel gift he never asked for.
The school suspended activities and offered psychological support. But the family wants more than condolences—they want truth and justice. “We don’t want revenge,” Claudio said. “We want to make sure no other child suffers what our Alice did.”
In the wake of this tragedy, a community mourns. A twin brother grieves. And a family, shattered, clings to memories of a bright, affectionate little girl whose life was cut short in the very place she should have been safest.
