Influencer and her daughter found dead after neighbors noticed bizarre smell from apartment

Residents in a quiet block of flats in Rio de Janeiro were left shaken after firefighters were called to investigate an unusual odor coming from one of the apartments, because what they found inside has since stunned both the local community and thousands of people online.

According to reports from Brazilian news outlets, summarised by PEOPLE, the emergency call came from concerned neighbors in the Barra da Tijuca area after they noticed a strong, strange smell seeping from a nearby property. Firefighters arrived on the scene last Friday, October 10, and what they uncovered has since become the focus of an ongoing police investigation.

Inside the apartment were the bodies of 33-year-old model and influencer Lidiane Aline Lorenço and her 15-year-old daughter, Miana Sophya Santos.

Lorenço had built a loyal following online before the tragic discovery (lidianelorenco_/Instagram)

The discovery came after the pair hadn’t been seen for around five days. Authorities later confirmed that the mother and daughter were found in separate rooms: Miana in the living room and Lorenço in one of the bedrooms.

Local outlet G1 reported that there were no signs of violence on either of the bodies or within the apartment itself.

The Civil Police stated: “A forensic examination was conducted at the scene and found no evidence of assault.

"The bodies were autopsied, but it has not yet been possible to determine the cause of death. Further tests will be performed.”

The mysterious circumstances surrounding the case have drawn huge attention online, especially as Lorenço was well-known on social media, where she had more than 54,000 followers on her Instagram account.

Her posts often showed glimpses of her life as a model and medical student at a private university in Rio; now many of those posts are littered with comments from Instagram followers expressing their sadness to hear of Lorenço’s passing.

No cause of death has been revealed yet, but more tests are underway (lidianelorenco_/Instagram)

Lorenço and her daughter were originally from Santa Cecília, a small city in the southern state of Santa Catarina. According to reports, the influencer had moved to Rio more than five years ago, while her teenage daughter had only recently gone to live with her.

Following the discovery, both mother and daughter were laid to rest on Sunday, October 12, at Santa Cecília Municipal Cemetery.

Police have yet to reveal any confirmed cause of death, but investigations remain active as forensic specialists await the results of additional tests. In their coverage, PEOPLE have also noted that local authorities did not respond to further requests for comment.