In a small city in Brazil, Davi Nunes Moreira, 14, was admitted to hospital after developing severe symptoms that included vomiting, intense pain, and difficulty walking. At first, he told his family and doctors that he had been injured while playing. As his condition worsened over several days, it became clear that something more serious was unfolding.

Only later did Davi admit that he had injected himself with a substance made from a dead butterfly. By that point, doctors were already struggling to determine the cause of his rapid decline. Despite treatment, his condition deteriorated, and he died after spending a week hospitalized.

Medical specialists later explained that the exact mechanism of his death was difficult to establish. Possibilities discussed publicly included severe infection, toxic reaction, embolism, or septic shock. What was clear was that introducing an unknown organic substance directly into the body carries extreme and unpredictable risk—particularly for a child.