Brazilian authorities have arrested six people in connection with the death of a 21-year-old student who died during a bungee jumping event after allegedly being sent from a bridge without being connected to a safety cord, as reported [1] by The New York Post.
Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas died on June 13 after an incident at an abandoned bridge in Brazil known locally as the “Skeleton Bridge.”
Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the event, which was captured on video [2] and later circulated on social media.
According to reports, three additional suspects were recently arrested, bringing the total number of arrests in the case to six.
The latest arrests include a 29-year-old woman from Rio de Janeiro, a 25-year-old man from Limeira, and a 27-year-old man from Indaiatuba.
CNN Brazil reported that investigators believe the three individuals were involved in planning and carrying out the jump. Authorities have not publicly clarified the exact dates of the latest arrests.
Earlier, on June 14, authorities arrested Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Goncalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42. The three were charged with homicide with eventual intent.
Local courts have also authorized search warrants for the homes of all six suspects as investigators continue gathering evidence.
Video of the incident reportedly shows Rodrigues de Freitas being carried by staff members before the jump. A witness recording the event can be heard shouting, “Guys, the rope!” while pointing toward a cord that remained on the bridge.
The bridge where the incident occurred is scheduled to be demolished in an effort to prevent similar tragedies in the future, according to authorities.
Investigators are also attempting to locate a GoPro camera that Rodrigues de Freitas reportedly paid extra to wear during the jump.
Witnesses have alleged that an employee removed the camera after the incident, raising concerns that potential evidence may have been lost or destroyed.
“I remember … seeing one of the employees taking the [camera] handle off the neck, from the body that was already on the floor, the GoPro camera,” witness Rafael Goulard told Brazilian television station EPTV.
Brazilian police said the camera remains a key piece of evidence in reconstructing what happened.
“The Civil Police are continuing their investigations to fully clarify the dynamics of the events, identify all criminal responsibilities, and locate the camera used by the victim at the time of the jump, considered an important element for reconstructing what happened,” Brazil’s Public Security Secretariat said in a statement.
Investigators have also questioned the three instructors initially arrested in the case. According to reports, Egoroff, Goncalves, and Cintra told authorities they could not remember who was responsible for attaching the safety cord.
“Either it’s me or [Cintra] who does it. So I went ahead first, and after that it’s all erased from my mind… I don’t remember,” Egoroff told EPTV.
Authorities said the three men attempted to flee following the incident [4] and were later located with assistance from a military helicopter.
The investigation has also drawn attention to a video recorded years earlier involving some of the instructors.
Reports indicate that Egoroff and others filmed a video in September 2022 titled “Hiding the body,” which showed a black bag being thrown from the same bridge.
Authorities have not indicated whether anyone involved in that video had a role in the June 13 incident beyond those already identified in the investigation.
Police said the investigation remains active as officials continue collecting evidence and determining the criminal responsibility of those involved.