Júlia de Paula Barbosa, 20, was found dead in her bedroom with bruises all over her body, as well as a broken hand, foot and neck – with her horrified mum having discovered the body
A mum let out a gut-wrenching scream as she walked into her daughter’s bedroom to find the 20-year-old dead with a broken neck.
Júlia de Paula Barbosa was found dead in the early hours of October 5 with bruises all over her body, as well as a broken hand, foot and neck. Her mother, Jozi Maria de Paula, walked in to find the 20-year-old had suffered multiple injuries, which the family believe was a result of her being beaten and strangled. Jozi told local media: “She was lying in bed, wearing a black jacket, completely bruised.
Her face darkened all over, her hand broken, her foot broken. I can’t even describe it. When I touched her, she was cold, and I screamed that it couldn’t be true, that it wasn’t true.” Júlia’s boyfriend has since been arrested.
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“I have no doubt, it was him, it was him. He left and took her key ,” Jozi said about Júlia’s boyfriend.
The tragedy happened at the family home in Cariacica, north east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Júlia’s boyfriend, Aleff Wingler, 25, was arrested in Serra, north of Vitoria, on Sunday, October 5, as he tried to board a bus to São Mateus, in the state of Espírito Santo. Just a day prior, the couple attended a party in nearby Viana, and were both driven home by Júlia’s father. The couple had been dating for two years, according to local news.
Júlia was studying architecture at the time of her death, and leaves behind a sister. Her cousin, Jessica, said in tribute to the student: “She had such a bright future ahead of her – only 20 years old, studying, working, and striving for a better life.” Her friend Maria Eduarda added: “I’ll love you forever.”
Police are treating the case as femicide and investigations are ongoing.