Davi Nunes Moreira, from Planalto, Brazil, died in a local hospital after his health suddenly declined and he began vomiting.
Initially, he told his father that he had injured himself while playing and had a limp, but as his condition worsened, he revealed to medics that he had mixed a dead butterfly with water and injected the concoction into his leg.
The cause of death is suspected to be linked to toxins from the mixture, which may have triggered septic shock, causing Davi’s body to shut down.
Police are awaiting the results of a full post-mortem examination as they investigate whether the incident was part of an internet challenge. Davi passed away last Wednesday in a hospital in Bahia, Brazil.
Civil Police in Vitoria da Conquista are leading the investigation, with a spokesperson stating, “The autopsy results will help clarify the cause of death. The investigation is aimed at understanding what occurred.”
Davi’s father discovered the syringe his son used hidden under his pillow while cleaning the house, according to local reports.
Professor Marcelo Duarte, a butterfly specialist at Sao Paulo University’s Zoology Museum, explained, “Butterflies have complex biology, and the fluids in their bodies have not been fully studied in terms of their toxicity to humans.”
