Beauty Queen Dies at 22 After Being Struck by Lightning in Brazil

Ana Beatriz Araújo Ferreira, a 22-year-old beauty queen, died after being struck by lightning on Saturday in Almas, Brazil. The incident occurred while Ferreira was in the back garden of her mother's home during a mild rainstorm.

Ferreira had recently been named Queen of the Rodeo at the agricultural fair ExpoAlmas. Her sister, Lana Letícia, stated that Ferreira had just finished bathing her five-year-old son and sent him inside before helping her brother's daughter with her hair when the lightning bolt struck.

Ferreira was transported to a hospital but succumbed to her injuries later that day. Her brother, César Augusto, described the event as happening in a split second, noting that the day was cloudy with a calm drizzle. He shared in an Instagram post that Ferreira was struck while "doing what she loved most, showing love through something simple."

Organizers of ExpoAlmas mourned Ferreira's death, stating that her passing leaves a significant void in the community. Her godmother, Marcella Batista, remembered her as joyful, full of dreams, and devoted to her family, describing her as a model mother.

Ferreira was a student at Unopar University, studying physiotherapy. Local police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.