Mother Arrested for Hiring Hitman to Kill Childcare Worker in Brazil

A 41-year-old woman has been arrested in Abatiá, Northern Paraná, Brazil, for allegedly planning to hire a hitman to murder a childcare worker. The suspect exchanged messages with an intermediary, expressing a desire to "erase an unhappy woman from the map" and blaming her for the loss of custody of her three children. The intended victim was an employee at the Casa Lar, a municipal facility where the woman's children, including a 16-year-old son, are currently housed. The son himself reported his mother's plot to the authorities after overhearing her discussing the plan during a visit. The police obtained the incriminating text messages from the intermediary's phone, which the mother had attempted to delete. She reportedly offered to pay R$3,000 for the assassination. Authorities stated that the motive stemmed from the parents losing custody of their children due to alleged mistreatment, inadequate nutrition, and lack of schooling. The woman reportedly blamed the Casa Lar staff for the intervention. The suspect's husband is also under investigation for his potential involvement. The intermediary, who claims he was gathering evidence for the police, was not arrested. The investigation is nearing completion and will be forwarded to the Public Prosecutor's Office.