The mother of Gabriela Barbosa, a 33-year-old Brazilian who died in Oeiras, in the Lisbon region, arrived in Portugal and stated that she intends to fight for custody of her 4-year-old granddaughter. The child was in the apartment when his 15-year-old brother killed his mother last week.
Mother of Brazilian woman killed by her son in Portugal wants custody of her granddaughter
The mother of Gabriela Barbosa, a 33-year-old Brazilian who died in Oeiras, in the Lisbon region, arrived in Portugal and stated that she intends to fight for custody of her 4-year-old granddaughter. The child was in the apartment when his...
In an interview with CNN Portugal, the maternal grandmother said that she already wanted her daughter to return to Brazil with the children and that Gabriela had expressed her intention to leave the girl in her care. According to her, Gabriela faced difficulties in obtaining the necessary documentation to travel with her children, including depending on...
- According to her, Gabriela faced difficulties in obtaining the necessary documentation to travel with her children, including depending on authorization from the children's father, who is...
- The Brazilian also said that her daughter planned to return to Brazil at the end of this year.
- Gabriela, according to her mother, was considering leaving her youngest with her maternal grandmother and the teenager with family members on her father's side.
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In an interview with CNN Portugal, the maternal grandmother said that she already wanted her daughter to return to Brazil with the children and that Gabriela had expressed her intention to leave the girl in her care.
“I want my granddaughter,” he said. According to her, Gabriela faced difficulties in obtaining the necessary documentation to travel with her children, including depending on authorization from the children's father, who is imprisoned in Portugal.
The Brazilian also said that her daughter planned to return to Brazil at the end of this year. Gabriela, according to her mother, was considering leaving her youngest with her maternal grandmother and the teenager with family members on her father's side.
Before moving to Portugal, the family lived nearby, in Brazil, and the grandmother closely followed her grandchildren's routine. Gabriela had settled in Portuguese territory with her children in 2024.
Grandmother says she knew about the conflicts between mother and son
Gabriela's mother stated that she was aware of the difficulties faced by her daughter in her relationship with the teenager. According to her report, the Brazilian woman said that her son refused to attend school and that conflicts at home were becoming increasingly difficult.
Even knowing about the aggressive episodes, the grandmother stated that she never imagined that her grandson could kill his own mother.
Despite her daughter's death, she said she did not feel "hatred or anger" towards the teenager and stated that she did not intend to feed these feelings.
The family was already facing a situation considered fragile by the Portuguese authorities. The Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People (CPCJ) of Oeiras had been monitoring the two brothers since May 2024. In June 2025, the case was forwarded to the Prosecutor's Office of the Family and Minors Court of Cascais after non-compliance with previously applied protection measures.
Family wants custody of 4-year-old girl
The future of Gabriela's youngest daughter became one of the main questions after the crime. Family members in Brazil had already initiated procedures to try to take the child to the country, including seeking emergency documentation.
Relatives on the paternal side also traveled to Portugal and expressed interest in taking custody of the girl. According to information released by UOL, an aunt and paternal grandmother sought the Portuguese justice system with the same objective.
The definition of who will be responsible for the child will be up to the Portuguese authorities, who must assess family conditions and the girl's best interests.
Family considers asking Portugal for compensation
In addition to the custody dispute, Gabriela's family intends to hold the Portuguese State responsible for alleged failures in monitoring the family.
Lawyer Gisely Steagall stated that the minors were already flagged by the protection services and argued that different measures should have been adopted before Gabriela's death. The possible responsibility of the State, however, will still have to be discussed in court.
According to the information presented by the family, a possible request for compensation would seek to guarantee resources for the expenses of Gabriela's children until they reach adulthood. The value has not yet been defined.
Teenager is hospitalized in a closed regime
Gabriela died after being strangled with a blow known as a "rear naked choke", in the family's apartment, in the Oeiras region. The teenager reported to the Public Security Police that he had argued with his mother before carrying out the attack. The 4-year-old sister was also at the residence.
The young man remained in the property for several hours after the death and later called the authorities. The Judiciary Police identified strong evidence of an act that, if it had been carried out by a person over 16 years of age, could constitute qualified homicide.
As he is 15 years old, the teenager is not criminally liable under the rules applicable to adults in Portugal. The Judicial Court of the West Lisbon District ordered his preventive hospitalization in a closed educational center for three months. The measure should be reevaluated after two months.
Authorities are also investigating the history of violence within the family. The Judiciary Police reported that the context of the case may be related to alleged physical and psychological abuse against the two children. The children's father is in preventive custody in another case related to domestic violence.
Brazilian teenager killed his mother after asking the police for help in Portugal
A 15-year-old teenager tried to report his mother about two weeks before the crime, according to the Portuguese press. The Brazilian family was already monitored by child protection agencies and the courts due to a history of violence at home