Who were a young pregnant woman and an elderly father who died in a fire in SC; police do not rule out crime

The victims of the fire that destroyed a wooden house in Monte Carlo, in the Midwest of Santa Catarina, were identified as Juliane Sthefany de Ávila, aged 20, and Antonio Ávila, aged 72. They were father and daughter and died on Tuesday night (13).

According to the victims' relatives, the young woman was pregnant. The Civil Police reported that the pregnancy will be confirmed by forensic examinations and are investigating whether the fire was set intentionally.

Juliane's wake took place on Wednesday (14) at the Bom Jesus Chapel, in Monte Carlo. There is no information about the wake of her father, Antonio Ávila.

The Civil Police are investigating the circumstances of the fire and are not ruling out the possibility that the fire was set intentionally.

According to the Military Police, witnesses reported seeing a man leaving the vicinity of the residence shortly after the flames started.

Police teams searched the region, but no suspects were located or arrested until the last update of this report.

The incident was registered by the PM as feminicide, intentional homicide and arson. The Civil Police reported, however, that they work with different lines of investigation. The corporation did not release other details.

The young woman's sister said the victim called her asking for help. When she arrived at the scene with her partner, she found the house on fire and her sister near the door. The brother-in-law managed to remove the young woman from the property, but she was already dead.

The elderly man was not seen by his family upon arrival. His body was only located by firefighters inside the property, after fighting the fire.

The Civil Police of Santa Catarina, through the Criminal Investigation Division (DIC) of Videira, opened a Police Inquiry (IP), to investigate the circumstances of a fire in a residence, last night (13/10), which resulted in the death of a young woman, aged 20, and her father, aged 72, in the interior of the municipality of Monte Carlo, in the Midwest of the state.

Preliminary examinations and expert reports from the Scientific Police will confirm whether the woman was pregnant, as revealed by family members.

The Civil Police works with several lines of investigation, not ruling out the possibility that the fire was arson.

The investigations continue and to preserve the confidentiality of the investigations, additional details will not be disclosed at this time.