An 80-year-old woman was allegedly strangled to death by her son in Lousada, but the alleged crime was only discovered six months later. What had been seen as a natural death was the subject of an investigation, after a grandson of the elderly woman, who witnessed the attacks, reported the case to the authorities. The elderly woman’s body was exhumed and autopsied and the result led to the arrest of her son, a 56-year-old man, who was placed in preventive detention after the first judicial interrogation.
The crime occurred on July 4 last year. That day, the 56-year-old man argued with his mother, an 80-year-old woman, and the GNR was called to the house. Once things had calmed down, the military prepared a report on domestic violence.
Hours later, the elderly woman was found in cardiorespiratory arrest and taken to Penafiel Hospital, where she died the following day. As the woman did not show signs of violence, the hospital referred the case to the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the latter, unaware of the episode of domestic violence that had occurred the previous day and the record collected by the authorities, waived the autopsy and the death was identified as having had causes natural.
About fifteen days later, the victim’s grandson and the attacker’s nephew went to the GNR to say that he saw his uncle attack and strangle his grandmother. The man was heard by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and an investigation was opened and steps were taken to find out what happened. The body of the elderly woman, who had been buried in the Cristelos cemetery, in Lousada, was exhumed in December last year and autopsied. The result of the autopsy was known two days ago and showed signs of a violent death, which confirmed the report made by the victim’s grandson.
The man, who already had a criminal record for crimes of disobedience, driving while drunk, threats and aggravated insults, was arrested and presented to a judge for the first judicial interrogation, who placed him in preventive detention, charged with the crime of qualified homicide.
