Woman held after confessing to killing stepdaughter, 8, in Portugal
A 48-year-old woman has been placed in pre-trial detention after admitting to suffocating her eight-year-old stepdaughter near Valpaços, Portugal, as public anger spill outside the courtroom.
Disappearance and discovery
On Wednesday, 17 June, eight-year-old Lara Barreira was collected from the school bus by her stepmother Eulália Silva, who told a school employee the girl had a medical appointment. She then drove 40 km to the Serra da Padrela, where, according to the reconstruction, she suffocated the child with her own hands. The father, Carlos, only realised something was wrong when the bus driver told him the stepmother had taken Lara. He reported her missing to the GNR that evening. During the early hours of 18 June, police found the body hidden behind large rocks, with her backpack nearby.
Court hearing and the suspect’s claims
Eulália Silva, 48, was arrested on 18 June and appeared before a judge at the Tribunal de Vila Pouca de Aguiar on 19 June. She had already confessed to the PJ and led officers to the crime scene. In court, however, she said she did not recognise herself in the acts, claiming emotional problems.
It wasn't me who was killing Lara, I never did this.
She also said she was a victim of domestic violence, that her son suffered abuse from Lara’s father, and that she heard voices. Her lawyer, Mónica Teixeira, requested a psychiatric evaluation. The judge ordered pre-trial detention, and the suspect will be transferred to the Santa Cruz do Bispo women’s prison in Matosinhos.
- Lara is picked up by stepmother, driven to Serra da Padrela and killed; father reports her missing later that day.
- Police find Lara’s body hidden behind rocks in a forested area.
- Eulália Silva arrested and appears in Vila Pouca de Aguiar court; pre-trial detention ordered.
- Funeral of Lara Barreira in Friões.
Public anger and funeral
Dozens of people gathered outside the court, shouting insults and attempting to assault the stepmother as she was escorted by police. The funeral of Lara Barreira is set for Saturday, 20 June, at 18:00 in Friões, with a wake beginning the previous evening. The case has prompted calls for stronger child protection policies in Portugal.
