Mother and son electrocuted in pool during holiday

Mother and Son Die from Electrocution in Brazil

A mother and her 11-year-old son tragically died after being electrocuted in a swimming pool while on a luxury family holiday.

Luciana Klein Helfstein, 39, and her son Arthur Klein Helfstein Alves were electrocuted in the pool at a guesthouse in Maragogi, a popular resort on Brazil’s Caribbean coast.

Details of the Incident

Luciana Klein Helfstein worked as an app-based driver during the week. They had traveled to Maragogi to spend their holidays together when tragedy struck on January 4.

Luciana’s boyfriend of five years, who was also on the holiday, told police that upon arriving at the guesthouse, they discovered the electric shower in their room was not working. Luciana and her son then went to bathe in the rooftop pool.

Not long after, her boyfriend found them lifeless. He pulled the bodies from the water with the help of other guests.

Despite desperate efforts to resuscitate them, they were later declared dead at a local emergency unit.

Cause of Death and Investigation

The cause of death for both victims was electric shock, confirmed by the Institute of Legal Medicine in Maceio, ruling out drowning. Forensic examinations showed clear signs of electrical current passing through both bodies.

Investigations are ongoing, including technical inspections at the guesthouse and analysis of images from the pool’s video monitoring system.

In a statement, the guesthouse expressed regret over the deaths and stated it is cooperating fully with the authorities. They added that their priority is to support the family.

Funeral and Family

Family and friends gathered in Sao Paulo on Tuesday to say goodbye to Luciana and Arthur after their bodies were returned from northeastern Brazil. They were buried on Wednesday at the Parque dos Girassois Cemetery in the Parelheiros district of Sao Paulo.

Luciana was an app-based driver and also attended fairs and events on weekends. Arthur was Luciana’s only child, and they lived in Sao Paulo, where Arthur was studying.

Luciana is survived by her parents, 11 sisters, and her long-term partner.

Recent Vacation Tragedies

This tragedy is part of a series of incidents that have occurred during vacations. It follows the death of Bryce Alexander Black, 33, who was killed in a scooter crash in Bali, leaving his partner critically injured.

Additionally, a Brit dive master, Darrel Nicholas Pascoe, tragically died while exploring a shipwreck in Malta on October 12, 2024, after swimming to the surface too quickly.