Fifty needles pushed in boy’s body ‘for black magic ritual’

A boy of two had 50 sewing needles pushed inside his body in what is believed to have been a black magic ritual in Brazil.

An X-ray shows needles in his abdomen, neck, thorax and legs. There were 17 in his digestive system. One had perforated his left lung.

The boy was taken to the West Hospital in Barreiras in the state of Bahía by a relative on Sunday after complaining of stomach pains. He has not been named.

Investigators do not think the boy swallowed any of the needles and believe they were deliberately pushed through his skin.

Hospital director Luiz Cesar said none of the needles was endangering his life at the moment. He said the boy may have to live with them inside his body because of the risk involved in removing them, adding: "We're certain the boy didn't swallow the needles.

"If he did, they would be in his gastrointestinal tract. I've never seen a case of its kind."

His mother, maid María Souza Santos, has told police she does not know who is responsible and said his grandmother looked after her son while she was at work. But she has reportedly claimed in a statement that the youngster's stepfather may have used the infant in a ritual. He has denied the allegations.

Police chief Helder Fernandes Santana said: "At the moment we don't know who did it. It's such a strange situation.

"We could be looking at attempted murder, a serious assault or some type of revenge attack. We're not ruling anything out at the moment."

Doctors at the West Hospital said they were considering trying to remove the needles that were just under the surface of the boy's skin.

One added: "Our priority at the moment is the boy's lung which was perforated by one of the needles."

The boy's father Gessivaldo Alves said: "We have faith in God that he is going to get better."