Brazilian boy suffers seven heart attacks, dies after scorpion bite
A 7-year-old Brazilian boy suffered seven heart attacks and died after being stung by one of the most venomous scorpions in South America while putting on his shoes.
Luiz Miguel Furtado Barbosa, of Anhembi in Sao Paulo state, was preparing to go camping with his family on Oct. 23 when he felt a sting on his foot, Newsflash reported.
“As soon as he put (the shoe) on, he screamed in pain,” the boy’s mom, Angelita Proenca Furtado, told local news outlets.
“As we didn’t find what had stung him, we kept looking. But his leg started to turn red and he said that the pain was increasing,” she said. “That’s when I imagined that it really was a scorpion and that I needed to find it to find out which one it was.”
The frantic family located the culprit, a Brazilian yellow scorpion, or Tityus serrulatus, the variety responsible for the largest number fatal stings in South America, according to Newsflash.
Angelita and her husband Eraldo Barbosa rushed Luiz to the University of Sao Paulo Faculty of Medicine Clinics Hospital, where his condition initially improved.
“They even removed him from some medication. He opened his eyes, tried to talk to me,” Angelita said. “I kissed him and he had to be sedated again, because he was very agitated.”
Tragically, the boy then suffered a total of seven heart attacks and died two days later, local media said.
The devastated mom said he seemed anxious on the day he was bitten.
“We were getting ready to go camping, because he loved playing in the water,” she said.
“He, as usual, was very anxious. He seemed to want to live everything he had to live in a single day. Today, I realize that it’s as if he was really in a hurry to live,” she added.
Municipal officials in Anhembi expressed their sympathy to the grief-stricken family and offered their support.
The city reported that it has recorded a total of 54 incidents involving scorpions since the beginning of the year.
“Accidents involving scorpions are not rare because the municipality is located on the banks of the Tiete River and has a large forest area,” City Hall said.
Angelita, who has another son, 5-year-old Joao Felipe, said she is grateful for the time she had with Luiz.
“I decided that I would make the lesson that Miguelzinho left me worth it as he taught me how to be a mother,” she said, referring to the tragic boy by his nickname.
“And I will be for Joao what I may have stopped being for Luiz. We have to have this mindset instead of feelings of guilt,” Angelita said.
“Not to go back in time and do something different, but I can be different for Joao,” she added.
