Drug overdose? Cop, his wife, die after overheating in bathtub at daughter’s 4th birthday

In a shocking incident in Brazil’s Santa Catarina state, a police officer and his wife died from heatstroke after getting into an overheated bathtub while allegedly under the influence of alcohol and cocaine, authorities said.

According to Brazilian outlet G1 Globo, military police officer Jeferson Luiz Sagaz, 37, and his wife Ana Carolina Silva, 41, who owned a nail salon, were found dead in a motel bathtub on the night of August 11.

Celebration Turns Tragic

Investigators said the couple had spent the day celebrating their four-year-old daughter’s birthday, consuming alcohol and reportedly using cocaine. After attending a nightclub, they checked into the Dallas Motel around midnight, the New York Post added.

When the pair did not return to pick up their daughter the next day, relatives raised the alarm. Their bodies were later found in the motel bathtub.

Authorities ruled that severe heat exposure caused their deaths, noting that alcohol and cocaine in their systems likely reduced their ability to react to the extreme temperature.

Forensic teams found the bathwater temperature at 122°F (50°C), with a space heater in the room also turned on at a high setting.

“Severe Heatstroke and Organ Failure”

Chief Medical Examiner Andressa Boer Fronza confirmed that both victims suffered “exogenous poisoning” leading to intense dehydration, thermal collapse, and multiple organ failure.

Toxicology tests revealed traces of cocaine and high blood alcohol levels.

“The use of cocaine alone can cause drowsiness and coma, and when combined with alcohol, the sedative effect increases,” said Dr. Fernando Oliva da Fonseca, Director of Forensic Medicine for Brazil’s Scientific Police.

“At that temperature, their bodies would not have been able to register the heat or react defensively.”

He added that the victims likely entered a state of torpor — a form of physical dormancy where the body’s metabolism slows down — which made them unresponsive to the rising temperature.

Police Rule Out Foul Play

Civil Police examined the motel room, the couple’s car, and CCTV footage from the premises. Investigators ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, electric shock, or any sign of third-party involvement.

“All evidence, combined with the substances found in their bodies, confirms that the deaths were sudden and accidental,” Police Chief Felipe Simão Gomes said.

Family, Friends Pay Tribute

Ana Carolina’s family has claimed that she was not a drug user and suggested she may have been coerced into consuming substances, though authorities have not found evidence supporting that claim.

Police said the couple had been together for nearly 20 years and that there was no history of domestic violence or prior incidents between them.

Ana Carolina’s nail salon later issued a statement mourning her loss:

“We say goodbye to a mother, a boss, a daughter, a wife, and an exceptional woman.”