A Brazilian man accused of raping and murdering a six-year-old girl turned himself in after his own son recognised CCTV footage of him broadcast on the news.
Video showed the moment Alexandra da Silva Alves allegedly threw a suitcase into a river to the north of Rio de Janeiro containing six-year-old Agatha Nicole Silva.
Alves’ 10-year-old son reportedly recognised the man and alerted family members who convinced him to turn himself in, according to local media.
The 43-year-old is accused of kidnapping and raping the child who reportedly lived in the same neighbourhood as him.
Investigators said he took the girl back to his house, just yards from where she lived after approaching her while she was playing in the street.
He is accused of throwing her in the suitcase into the river while she was still alive.
Agatha’s grandmother Edir Silva told local media: “A woman told my daughter she had seen a man throwing a suitcase into the river around 10pm. It had made a heavy thud and she was worried about what was inside it.
“My daughter ran to look for the trunk and when she called her daughter’s name she could hear the child respond very faintly. But she couldn’t reach the suitcase in time and we believe Agatha was too weak to survive the impact and her injuries.”
Police said Alves turned himself in accompanied by two local pastors.
He was arrested and has since been charged with the murder and rape of a minor.
