Police in Brazil are investigating the death of a 14-year-old boy who reportedly told his parents and doctors that he had injected the 'remains of a butterfly' into his leg before he began to feel adverse effects.
Davi Nunes Moreira was admitted to hospital in Planalto, in the state of Bahia in north-east Brazil, after he began limping, throwing up and feeling unwell.
When his dad asked why he was limping, the teen is said to have initially claimed he'd hurt himself while playing.
However, when his condition worsened, Davi reportedly admitted to his family and medics that he had injected himself with an unusual substance.
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The teen had reportedly mixed a dead butterfly into some water, then injected the liquid into his right leg. According to the Civil Police, per Metrópoles, the boy’s family found the syringe he had used under a pillow in his room after he admitted to his actions.
Davi's declining health prompted medics to move him to the General Hospital of Vitória da Conquista, in the state’s third largest city, but tragically the teenager died there on February 12. A funeral for Davi was held two days later.
Now, police are investigating whether Davi's decision to inject the butterfly remains could have been the result of an online challenge.
One investigator cited by Metrópoles shared news of the suspected online challenge, though Davi himself is said to have refuted this claim prior to his death.
However, the teenager did not appear to share any further insight on the reasons behind his actions.
Davi did not reveal what kind of butterfly he had injected, and investigators with the Civil Police in Vitoria da Conquista are now waiting for full post-mortem results to help shed light on exactly what caused him to become fatally ill.
A spokesman for the Civil Police said: “The autopsy results will help clarify the cause of death. The investigation is designed to clear up what happened.”
It is possible that toxins in the butterfly remains could have played a part in Davi's ill health, with Professor Marcelo Duarte, director of Sao Paulo University’s Zoology Museum and a butterfly specialist, explaining: “Butterflies have a complex biology, and the fluids present in their bodies have not been studied in depth in terms of their toxicity to humans.”
Tributes to Davi have been shared online in the wake of the death, with some internet users pointing to the dangers of online challenges.
“Some of the things you see online are madness and spine-chilling," one person wrote.
UNILAD has reached out to the Civil Police for further comment.
Topics: Health, Animals, Police, World News
Emily Brown