Maria Clara Aguirre Lisboa disappeared from her home in Brazil in early October 2025. Her paternal grandfather reported the 5-year-old girl missing to Child Protective Services, which quickly turned over the case to police. The family was reportedly well known to CPS for allegedly making threats against Maria Clara. Police began their search, and evidence pointed to Maria Clara’s mom, Luiza Aguirre Barbosa da Silva, and stepdad, Rodrigo Ribeiro Machado, as potential suspects. Days later, they found the child dead in the most horrific way.
Police found Maria Clara in mid-October.
According to court documents obtained by the Mirror, investigators found the little girl’s body buried in Itapetininga on October 14, 2025. Experts believe she’d been in the homemade grave for approximately 20 days. A post-mortem examination determined Maria Clara had signs of ongoing physical abuse, including head trauma that looked to be inflicted by a blunt object. But that wasn’t even the worst part of the discovery.
Forensic experts believe Maria Clara’s parents buried her alive.
The post-mortem medical report indicated Maria Clara’s cause of death to be “mechanical asphyxiation caused by burial.” The little girl had soil in her windpipe, suggesting she was still breathing when she was put into the grave. The Sun reported that after Da Silva and Machado buried the innocent child, they covered the grave in concrete to seal her under the ground.
Police found a haunting audio recording from Machado.
The stepfather allegedly told Maria Clara’s unnamed father that his daughter was dead and to stop “bothering” him, per court documents. Machado wanted the child’s father to leave both him and Da Silva alone.
“’Mate, are you deaf as well or something? Don’t wind me up, mate. I’ve already told you your daughter’s dead. She doesn’t even exist anymore,” Machado reportedly said, per The Sun. ‘Stop messing me about, all right? Stop sending me messages, yeah?’”
According to the Mirror, Machado has a history of gang involvement with the PCC First Capital Command. He’s known as “ruthless brother.” He had also reportedly abused both Da Silva and Maria Clara in the past, said lead investigator Franco Augusto. Both Da Silva and Machado face murder charges with aggravating factors and concealing her body.
How can a mother let this happen?
These kinds of stories bring up so many questions. It seems unfathomable that a mother would allow a man to hurt her child, especially one who’s not the child’s father, who has a history of violent behavior, and who has hurt her, too.
Many people commented on the Mirror’s Facebook page, sickened by what happened to Maria Clara.
“She is satan.she needs the same treatment,” someone wrote of Da Silva.
“Please stop these horrifying news, it’s actually making me ill, I am heartbroken, poor little innocent girl, the pain, the screams she went through hope her evil Mum gets the same treatment,” another person shared.
Da Silva brought this baby into the world and then helped to take her out. Make it make sense.
If you suspect child abuse, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-Child) or go to Childhelp.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
