A Brazilian woman who was accused of taking a dead man to a bank to sign a loan has recounted the incident in an interview, according to local media reports.
Erika de Souza shed tears as she shared her side of the story, saying, "I’m not that person that people are talking about, and I’m not that monster."
The bank staff alerted authorities, revealing that Braga, 68, was dead when he was wheeled into the bank by Erika.
It’s absurd what people are saying," Erika was quoted as saying by Brazilian TV programme Fantastico, Metro reports.
Watch the viral video again here:ðåðèBREAKING GRAPHIC: This woman wheeled a dead man into the bank and tried to get him to 'sign off' a loan in her name while holding his head up.
A Brazilian woman who was accused of taking a dead man to a bank to sign a loan has recounted the incident in an interview, according to local media reports. Erika de Souza shed tears as she shared her side of the story, saying, "I’m not that person that people are talking about, and I’m not that monster."
Last month, a video of Erika holding up the man who was later confirmed as her uncle, Paulo Braga's head, while urging him to sign a paper went viral. The bank staff alerted authorities, revealing that Braga, 68, was dead when he was wheeled into the bank by Erika.
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In her first interview since her release, Erika tearfully expressed her anguish and denied any malicious intent. In a report published by Metro, Erika, while speaking to Brazilian media, claimed she only learnt of her uncle's death when emergency responders arrived at the bank.
"The days away from my family have been horrible, very difficult. I didn’t realise my uncle was dead. It’s absurd what people are saying," Erika was quoted as saying by Brazilian TV programme Fantastico, Metro reports.
Watch the viral video again here:
ðåðèBREAKING GRAPHIC: This woman wheeled a dead man into the bank and tried to get him to 'sign off' a loan in her name while holding his head up.
Footage showed the woman telling the dead man to grip hold of his pen hard as she placed it between his fingers and encouraged himâæ pic.twitter.com/72jo6JrwBC — Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) April 17, 2024
Erika, in fact, also attributed her hazy memory of the incident to the effects of medication, and said, "As I’m undergoing treatment, I was taking a sleeping pill called Zolpidem and took more than I should have."
She also claimed her uncle had consented to her assistance, emphasising that she was not his caregiver.
After spending 16 days in prison, Erika was released last week and a further investigation into the case was on. She faced charges of vilifying a corpse and attempted theft through fraud. Additionally, the police have launched a manslaughter probe.
Released on bail, the judge cited Erika's mental health condition and her responsibilities as a caregiver to her specially abled daughter as reasons for her release. A trial date was yet to be scheduled.
