A workplace feud in Brazil nearly turned fatal after a woman allegedly poisoned a co-worker’s water bottle in a twisted act of revenge. The motive? Pure resentment over a promotion she thought was unfair.
Security cameras at a textile factory in Abadia de Goiás captured the 38-year-old suspect tampering with her colleague’s drink shortly before the victim took a sip. Moments later, the victim felt her throat burn and realized something was very wrong. Lab tests confirmed the water contained a dangerously high concentration of industrial solvent—enough to be lethal in larger doses.
Witnesses say these two were once friends, but that changed when the victim landed a promotion. The suspect, furious over being passed over, apparently let her anger fester. Their arguments became routine, and the day the poisoning happened, they’d been fighting yet again.
Police investigating the case discovered the suspect had entered an off-limits management area where the company stored chemical products. She had no authorization to be there, but that’s likely where she got her hands on the toxic substance.
After drinking from the tainted bottle, the victim’s quick instincts saved her life. She called for medical help immediately and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors said she could have died had she consumed more. Thankfully, she made a full recovery.
Authorities arrested the suspect on February 27 after reviewing the security footage. When questioned, she admitted to poisoning the water following their latest dispute. Now, she faces an attempted aggravated homicide charge, which could land her behind bars for up to 20 years.
This isn’t even the first time workplace poisoning has made headlines. Last year, another woman was caught spiking a pregnant co-worker’s drink—just to avoid extra work when the victim went on maternity leave. Some people will do anything to settle a workplace grudge.
Five Fast Facts
- Brazil is the world’s second-largest producer of textiles, behind only China.
- The Goiânia Metropolitan Region, where this crime occurred, was the site of one of the worst radiation accidents in history in 1987.
- Industrial solvents, like the one used in this poisoning, are commonly found in textile manufacturing for dyeing and cleaning fabrics.
- Poisoning cases in Brazil have risen in recent years, often linked to workplace and domestic disputes.
- Brazilian law allows sentences for attempted homicide to be as severe as those for completed crimes, depending on intent and method used.
