A 21-year-old woman in Limeira, São Paulo, died after a bungee jump was reportedly carried out without attaching her safety cord. Video shared online shows bystanders realizing the rope was still on the ground before she was thrown from the Ponte do Esqueleto,
For the people watching from the bridge in Limeira, São Paulo, the moment didn’t feel like an adrenaline rush for long. It turned into something far worse.
Over the weekend, 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas went to the Ponte do Esqueleto, also known as Skeleton Bridge, for what was supposed to be a bungee jump at an excursion site. Brazilian reports say staff escorted her to the edge and then threw her over the side.
Almost immediately. footage circulating on social media allegedly shows onlookers realizing a catastrophic safety failure: the safety rope had been left behind rather than attached to Maria Eduarda before the jump. One witness filming the scene reportedly pointed toward the rope lying on the ground and shouted in alarm as the danger became unmistakable.
Authorities say Maria Eduarda fell approximately 40 meters, or about 131 feet. Emergency responders were dispatched, including a police helicopter, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The news has shaken family, friends, and the wider community. Maria Eduarda had just graduated in physical education and sports management, and Brazilian reports say she purchased a guided tour package that included the jump from the abandoned bridge.
The investigation has moved quickly toward accountability. Brazilian reporting says six people were questioned in connection with the incident. Three men were reportedly arrested at the scene and charged with homicide with implied malice.
Investigators are working to understand whether the operation was conducted properly and whether safety procedures were followed. Delegate Andrea Dantas Levy. speaking to Brazilian media outlets. said the team handling the jump “wasn’t regulated” and “didn’t even have authorization to be there.” She added that. in her view. the fatality happened “due to a failure to verify and supervise the placement of the rope on the victim’s jump.”.
Local officials are also pushing for answers about how the jump was allowed to happen at all. Limeira’s City Council is reportedly pursuing action following the tragedy. Mayor Murilo Félix criticized what he described as longstanding safety concerns. saying: “It is necessary to determine responsibility for the lack of access control to a federal area that has presented known risks for years and still lacks the necessary protection measures.”.
Brazil’s Civil Police continue investigating who may ultimately be held responsible and how the safety failure occurred.
Maria Eduarda’s death has left a community mourning someone who was planning a moment meant to celebrate her new chapter—only for it to end in a preventable tragedy.
bungee jump death Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas Ponte do Esqueleto Skeleton Bridge Limeira São Paulo safety rope video Civil Police investigation Delegate Andrea Dantas Levy homicide with implied malice
That’s insane, how do you just… forget the rope.
I don’t even get how they can throw her without the cord attached. Like the whole point is the safety line?? Sounds like negligence, not an “accident.”
Wait so they arrested people for homicide with implied malice? That seems extreme to me like maybe she tripped or something? I saw a clip once where the rope looked weird and everyone freaked out but it ended up ok. This just feels like there’s more to it than the video shows.
Safety ropes don’t “fall off” like that… unless they were doing something sketchy. Also why is this bridge even a bungee spot if it’s called Skeleton Bridge lol. They should’ve shut it down forever after the first complaints. Poor girl too, graduating and all, that’s just awful.