Mother of Three Burned Alive in Cult Ritual After Gasoline Ignited Sacrificial Fire

A mother of three suffered a horrific death after being consumed by flames during a ritual gone awry, as family members allege that gasoline was poured onto a sacrificial fire. Caroline Pinto dos Santos, 31, known within her faith as Caroline de Yewá, was engulfed in flames at a Candomblé temple in Realengo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The incident occurred on June 13, and Caroline endured excruciating burns covering approximately 65% of her body. She fought for her life for 25 days before succumbing to complications at Pedro II Municipal Hospital.

Caroline leaves behind three daughters aged 16, 10, and five. She was buried on July 11 at Jardim da Saudade Cemetery in Paciência.

Following the incident, key figures overseeing the ceremony reportedly vanished. Some deleted their social media accounts as the case gained attention. Caroline’s sister and oldest daughter have taken to social media demanding justice.

Before deactivating her profile, the lead priestess, known as Yalorixá, described the explosion as an “unexpected, unpredictable, and profoundly lamentable accident.” However, the family claims that the individual responsible for adding the fuel was Thayane Alves, the homeowner's husband, who is also known as Yalorixá Thayane de Osun.

Civil Police in Rio initially opened an investigation into involuntary bodily harm through the 33rd Police Precinct (Realengo). Following Caroline’s death, investigators are now reassessing potential criminal charges.

The ritual was part of Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion that emerged in Brazil during the 19th century. Candomblé merges traditional African spiritual beliefs from the Yoruba, Fon, and Bantu peoples with elements of Roman Catholicism.