According to Ribeiro da Silva’s family, she and Ferreira Rodrigues were acquaintances, but their relationship became closer when Ribeiro da Silva became pregnant.  Then Ferreira Rodrigues became more attentive, lending money and bringing the younger woman to medical visits. 

This appears to have been due to Ferreira Rodrigues’ plan to steal Ribeiro da Silva’s fetus.  Her relationship was unstable and she decided to solidify it by claiming to be pregnant.  She posted images of herself on social media, holding up baby booties. 

Ferreira Rodrigues invited Ribeiro da Silva to visit for a few days, lured her to an isolated area, strangled her and performed a crude caesarean section.  She then went to a neighbor’s home, claiming to have given birth.  The neighbor later reported that Ferreira Rodrigues’ clothes were covered with blood and she wanted to clean up before taking the newborn the hospital or calling her husband. 

Ferreira Rodrigues and her husband Roberto Gomes de Souza brought the infant to the hospital, and staff became suspicious because Ferreira Rodriguez did not appear to have just given birth and she initially refused a medical exam. 

The corpse of Ribeiro da Silva was found by the roadside by a driver. 

Her husband was arrested on suspicion of being an accomplice but later released. 

Ferreira Rodrigues attempted to appeal on the grounds of insanity, claiming that she had Borderline Personality, but this appeal was denied by the courts.