Three instructors remain jailed as police examine why a safety rope was not attached before the fatal fall.
LIMEIRA, BRAZIL — Six people were arrested after Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, died Saturday during a rope-jump activity from the Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned bridge in São Paulo state, authorities and local officials said.
The case has drawn national attention because video from the bridge appears to show Rodrigues de Freitas being lifted and launched before a main safety rope was connected to her gear. Police are treating the death as a possible homicide with eventual intent, a Brazilian charge used when investigators say a person accepted the risk of causing death.
Rodrigues de Freitas went to the bridge June 13 for an extreme-sports jump commonly described online as bungee jumping, though officials and Brazilian outlets have referred to the activity as rope jumping. The bridge, known in Portuguese as Ponte do Esqueleto, sits near Limeira and Cordeirópolis in the interior of São Paulo state. Witness video shows two men carrying her in an “airplane” style position, with her arms spread, before she was released over the edge. Moments later, people nearby shouted that the rope had not been attached. Police said the safety equipment was not properly secured at the time of the jump. The fall was about 40 meters, or 130 feet. Emergency crews, including firefighters and medical responders, were called to the scene, but Rodrigues de Freitas died at the site.
Police initially detained six people linked to the activity. Three instructors later became the central suspects: Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32; Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27; and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42. They were arrested in the hours after the fall and accused of homicide with eventual intent. A court in Limeira converted their arrests into preventive detention after a custody hearing Sunday, meaning they can remain jailed while investigators continue the case. Investigators said the main rope that should have held Rodrigues de Freitas remained on the structure instead of being connected to her harness. Authorities have not said which person had final responsibility for the safety check. The suspects told police they could not recall who was supposed to attach or verify the rope, according to accounts of the investigation.
The Limeira city government identified Rodrigues de Freitas as a resident of Jandira and issued a public note of condolence on the day she died. Mayor Murilo Félix, first lady Luciana Félix and Vice Mayor Fabiano D’Andréa said the city stood with her relatives and friends and would cooperate with authorities seeking to clarify the facts. Rodrigues de Freitas had studied physical education and sports management and had posted about outdoor activities on social media. Shortly before the jump, she shared an image from the site with a joking comment about who had allowed her to jump from a bridge. Her burial was held Sunday in São Paulo state. Relatives and friends described her as active, adventurous and close to her family.
The bridge has long been known as a site for informal extreme-sports activity. Local officials have said the span is abandoned and has presented safety problems for years. After the fatal fall, Limeira officials said they planned legal action against the federal government, arguing that the site required stronger oversight and barriers. Police also are examining whether the groups that organized the jump had formal authorization, business registration and required safety procedures. Investigators have focused on how many people were working at the bridge, how many customers were present and whether safety checks were done before each jump. The activity used a rope system that swings a jumper like a pendulum, which differs from a classic bungee jump that uses an elastic cord and rebound.
Witnesses told Brazilian media that other people had jumped before Rodrigues de Freitas and that the atmosphere changed quickly when bystanders realized something was wrong. An off-duty nurse who was at the location and expected to jump later said she reached Rodrigues de Freitas after the fall and found signs of life, including weak breathing and a pulse. “I spoke to her,” nurse Rayza Gabrieli Dias Delfino said in accounts carried by local media. The nurse said she tried to help until emergency crews arrived. Other witnesses said some workers appeared stunned after the fall. Reports said two people tried to leave the area and were later found with help from police, including aerial support. Defense accounts have described the death as the first such event involving the team and said the men were experienced.
Investigators are also reviewing videos from people at the bridge. One issue is whether any camera attached to Rodrigues de Freitas or her equipment was removed after the fall. Witnesses have alleged that a recording device was taken from her before police arrived, but authorities have not announced a final finding on that claim. The case remains at an early stage, and police have not released a complete timeline of each person’s actions before the launch. Prosecutors will have to decide whether to bring formal charges after the police inquiry advances. Under the current legal theory, investigators must show that the suspects knew the danger of the conduct and proceeded despite the risk.
For now, three men remain jailed, three other people were caught up in the initial arrests, and the bridge site is under renewed scrutiny. The next major step is the police inquiry, which will determine whether prosecutors receive enough evidence to pursue homicide charges in court.
Author note: Last updated June 16, 2026.