The tragic rope-jump accident that claimed the life of a 21-year-old woman in Brazil has taken another disturbing turn after videos linked to one of the accused staff members resurfaced online.
The controversy stems from the June 13 incident at Ponte do Esqueleto (Skeleton Bridge) in Limeira, São Paulo, where Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas lost her life after she was thrown from a high platform without the safety rope attached.
Highlights
- One of the men accused in the tragedy had a history of posting controversial videos from the site long before the fatal accident.
- Some of the resurfaced footage appears to show dangerous stunts involving young children, sparking fresh outrage online.
- As the criminal case unfolds, the disturbing clips are fueling new questions about safety practices and oversight.
Amid the controversy, several unsettling videos featuring one of the accused operators, Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, have emerged, appearing to show him performing dangerous stunts with young children at the same site.
“This is soo sad. Complete incompetence by everyone. Absolutely unimaginable!” wrote one user.
One of the accused, Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, regularly shared videos of dangerous stunts filmed at the site on his social media
Image credits: dudz.rodrigues/Instagram
A witness who was present during the fatal accident alleged that staff members at the activity site forgot to secure the safety rope before Maria Eduarda was launched from the platform.
Following the 40-meter (131-foot) drop, Freitas succumbed to multiple traumatic injuries.
Viral videos of the accident circulating on social media reportedly captured the final moments before the tragedy.
In the clip, three employees were seen carrying Maria toward the jumping structure, and moments later, she was thrown from the platform.
Image credits: RT_com/X
Seconds after her launch, people screamed in panic, “The rope!” but it was too late.
A witness who was waiting in line behind Maria alleged to local media outlets that the operators did not perform a final gear or connection check before sending her off the ledge.
According to investigating authorities, two men fled the scene immediately after the accident and were later found in a wooded area with assistance from the Águia police helicopter.
While authorities initially detained six individuals at the scene for questioning following the tragedy, three men, Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, have since been officially arrested and charged in connection with the case.
All three men remain in jail facing charges of homicide with eventual intent, a specific legal classification under the Brazilian Penal Code.
It applies when a person does not explicitly set out to k*ll someone but knowingly engages in a highly dangerous activity and consciously accepts the risk that their actions could result in another person's passing.
Three staff members who allegedly launched Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas from the bridge have been arrested
Image credits: luisfelipeegoroff/Instagram
Amid this legal development, the Daily Mail published a report revealing Luis's history of performing highly dangerous jumps at the site.
In a video dating back to 2023, shared on his own social media account, Egoroff was seen jumping off Ponte do Esqueleto (Skeleton Bridge) while holding a young boy in his arms.
Multiple other clips captured instructors and staff members diving off the platform and swinging perilously close to the massive, weathered concrete support columns of the abandoned rail crossing.
Their flight paths frequently cleared the solid infrastructure by mere inches.
Videos also showed instructors performing complex mid-air flips, inversions, and acrobatic tricks while holding onto the swinging cords with just one hand during the 40-meter (131-foot) drop.
As Bored Panda previously reported, one such clip went viral on X, reigniting concerns about the activity at the site.
A man who appeared to be a member of the event staff was seen carrying a child in his arms while the pair took part in the jump.
One angry netizen wrote, “In the same place where they threw the girl off the bridge without the rope, these parents put their children’s lives at risk. They should take custody of these children away from the hands of these irresponsible people.”
Another user added, “If you want to jump, jump. But taking a child along is an atrocious act of irresponsibility.”
In a disturbing video, Egoroff was seen holding a child in one arm while performing a dangerous jump from the controversial site
Image credits: luisfelipeegoroff/Instagram
Others expressed, “This kind of behavior, known as risky conduct, when encouraged at such a young age, will strongly contribute to raising children who are more impulsive and addicted to taking dangerous risks.”
During police questioning and court testimony, the men reportedly told investigators they did not know who was responsible for attaching Maria's safety rope.
However, their attorney told local media outlet Metropoles, “I spoke with them, and they were all responsible for the inspection. First, they put on a kind of vest, and then the rope.”
Image credits: Metropoles/X
Egoroff testified that the informal group did not assign specific safety responsibilities to individual members.
Instead, he argued that equipment checks were carried out "jointly" by whoever happened to be near the platform, resulting in a complete lapse in accountability.
The investigating police officer, Andréa Dantas Levy, noted that the instructors described experiencing a collective "blackout" or momentary mental void right as they lifted Maria into the launch position.
As per O Globo, Levy shared, “They said they can’t remember where and when the fault occurred, who would have to have put it [the rope], and didn’t.”
She added, “The third, who held [her] legs, said he was only called in to help with the throw.”
Following the tragedy, an off-duty nurse, Rayza Dias, who had been waiting in line for the same activity, witnessed the drop and immediately scrambled down the steep, muddy, and dangerous embankment.
All three men have been formally charged with homicide with eventual intent, a specific offense under the Brazilian Penal Code
Image credits: thepolandnews_/X
When Rayza reached Maria at the bottom of the drop, she confirmed that the young woman was still showing signs of life.
Rayza revealed that she was briefly conscious enough to interact.
In an emotional interview with Brazilian TV network Domingo Espetacular, Rayza recalled trying to comfort her, saying, “I even talked to her. I have a habit of joking and saying, ‘Nobody d*es on my shift.’ And I told her, ‘Duda, nobody d*es on my shift.’ Even though I wasn't on my shift there.”
The adventure activity has since been completely shut down by law enforcement.
Image credits: dudz.rodrigues/Instagram
Police also closed the platform and the surrounding area at Ponte do Esqueleto while investigators evaluated the scene.
Ponte do Esqueleto is a long-abandoned rail crossing that legally belongs to the federal government.
Following the tragedy, Limeira City Hall announced legal action against federal authorities over what officials described as negligence regarding the bridge.
“If you want to jump, jump. But taking a child along is an atrocious act of irresponsibility,” fumed one social media user
