The pain of losing an entire family caused a stir among the population of Sidrolândia, located in the interior of the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, where relatives, friends and residents paid their last respects to Drielle Leite Lopes and her three children, Helena, 10 years old, João Lúcio, 2, and José Augusto, just 3 months old.
A mother and three children were victims of a tragic accident on the BR-060 highway. The scene at the wake, held at the city’s City Council Chambers, was marked by emotion, outrage, and profound shock among the family members.
The tragedy, which took the lives of four family members, occurred on Sunday night between Sidrolândia and Campo Grande. The family had gone to visit Drielle’s mother to share the happy news of their home purchase the previous week.
The collision involved a Corsa model car, driven by a mechanic who, according to reports, had used cocaine and was visibly drunk at the time of the accident.
According to the State Public Prosecutor’s Office, the driver of the Corsa attempted an unsuccessful overtaking of a truck, hit the side of the heavy vehicle and collided with a Saveiro, where Drielle’s family was.
The impact was so violent that the Corsa left the road and caught fire. The driver, not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the car and suffered multiple fractures. He remains hospitalized under police escort and has been ordered held in pretrial detention.
Drielle’s husband, who survived the accident, needed support during the wake. He suffered minor injuries but is emotionally devastated. One of the couple’s children, a 12-year-old boy, also survived but remains hospitalized after undergoing five surgeries.
He suffered fractures to his arms, legs, and jaw, but is out of danger. The tragedy reignites discussions about reckless driving and the devastating effects of the combination of drugs, alcohol, and driving.
The family’s expectation is for justice, not just as a form of punishment, but to prevent other lives from being taken in such violent and avoidable circumstances.