Woman dies after suffering a sudden illness in the same bank branch where ‘Uncle Paulo’s’ corpse was taken | Rio de Janeiro

Rio – A 60-year-old woman died this Wednesday afternoon (8), after suffering a sudden illness inside a bank branch on the Bangu promenade, in the West Zone of Rio. The case happened in the same bank where the corpse of the elderly Paulo Roberto was taken by his niece, Érika Vieira, to try to get a loan of R$ 17 thousand, on April 16th.

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According to the Fire Department, soldiers from the Campo Grande barracks were called around 1pm to remove Maria de Santana’s body after she suffered a sudden illness. The victim was at the Itaú branch on the Bangu promenade, located at Avenida Cônego Vasconcelos, number 65A.

Investigation of the ‘Uncle Paulo’ case

‘Uncle Paulo’ was taken by Érika Souza Vieira Nunes to an agency also on Avenida Cônego de Vasconcelos to withdraw around R$17,000 from a loan made in his name. At the time, the woman entered with the elderly man in a wheelchair and when going to the counter she asked him to sign a document authorizing the collection of the money.

However, images show that Paulo did not show any reaction, at which point employees at the bank branch became suspicious and called teams from the Mobile Emergency Care Service (Samu), who certified the death. The police were then called and Érika was arrested in the act.

Regarding going to the bank, Érica explained that it was her uncle who asked her to go there. “He asked me to go, I didn’t think he was very weak. Everything was fine inside the car, nothing happened. I was holding his head because before I asked him if he was better supporting him and he said yes,” she said.

The two arrived at the bank via an app car. Images show the moment when Érika took her uncle out of the car and placed him in a wheelchair in the garage of the commercial building where the agency is located. At the police station, the driver said that the elderly man was still alive when he got out of the vehicle.

Érika was denounced by the Public Ministry of Rio de Janeiro (MPRJ) on April 30th for the crimes of attempted embezzlement and vilification of a corpse. According to prosecutors, although the loan was taken out by the elderly man when he was still alive, the withdrawal of almost R$18,000 could no longer be made, as the victim had already died when the woman was arrested in the act at the bank. According to the MPRJ, Érika, through fraud, tried to appropriate amounts that would no longer be used in favor of her uncle, which would cause a loss to the bank that granted the loan.

Last Thursday (2), the court made the woman a defendant for the crimes, but authorized her release, leaving her to serve house arrest.

When asked about the woman’s death, Itaú Unibanco responded that it deeply regrets what happened and offers its solidarity to the family.

“The client had a sudden illness at the entrance of the agency, so all emergency protocols were immediately activated, including medical assistance. Out of respect for the victim, customers and employees, the unit will remain closed. Employees were welcomed and will receive all necessary psychological support Customers who need in-person service should look for the nearest branch, branch 8486 (Av. Cônego Vasconcelos) or access Itaú’s digital channels”, he said in a note.