A crucial piece of evidence in the investigation into the death of Brazilian student Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas has disappeared, prompting authorities to arrest three additional suspects accused of removing and concealing a camera that may have captured the final moments before her fatal fall.

The latest arrests have added another dramatic twist to a case that has shocked Brazil and attracted international attention since Rodrigues de Freitas, 21, plunged approximately 130 feet to her death during a rope-jumping activity from a bridge in the state of São Paulo.

Authorities believe the missing camera could provide some of the most important evidence available in determining exactly what happened moments before the fatal jump. Investigators say the device was being worn by Rodrigues de Freitas at the time she fell and may contain footage capable of reconstructing the incident in detail.

According to Brazilian media reports, police arrested three additional individuals on June 20 in connection with the disappearance of the equipment.

The suspects were identified as Evelyne dos Santos Gonçalves, 29, along with two men aged 25 and 27. Authorities allege that they participated in removing or concealing the recording device after the incident and may also have been involved in deleting digital material relevant to the investigation.

The arrests represent a significant expansion of the criminal case, which had already resulted in homicide charges against three instructors accused of conducting the jump.

Police say the missing camera has become a central focus of the investigation because it may contain direct visual evidence of how safety procedures were handled before Rodrigues de Freitas was launched from the bridge.

“During the investigation, elements were gathered that indicate possible suppression of evidence relevant to the investigation,” Civil Police Delegate Andréa Levy said, “especially related to the disappearance of the image capture equipment used by the victim during the jump.”

Investigators have not publicly disclosed whether the camera was recording at the exact moment of the fall, but authorities believe recovering the device could help clarify responsibilities and establish a more precise timeline of events.

The fatal incident occurred on June 13 at the Ponte do Esqueleto, commonly known as Skeleton Bridge, in Limeira, São Paulo.

According to investigators, Rodrigues de Freitas was participating in a rope jump when she was allegedly launched from the bridge without being attached to a safety cord.

Witnesses reported immediate confusion and panic after it became apparent that a critical safety connection had not been secured.

Video recorded by bystanders appears to show instructors lifting Rodrigues de Freitas and tossing her from the bridge before onlookers realized something had gone terribly wrong.

Authorities later confirmed that the rope intended to prevent her fall was not attached.

The resulting plunge of approximately 130 feet proved fatal.

The tragedy immediately triggered a criminal investigation, with police focusing on whether organizers ignored safety procedures or failed to conduct required equipment checks.

Three instructors were subsequently arrested and charged with homicide with eventual intent, a legal concept under Brazilian law that applies when someone proceeds despite recognizing the possibility that their actions could result in death.

Those suspects were identified as Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Goncalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42.

Investigators later revealed that the three instructors reportedly told police they could not remember who was responsible for attaching the safety rope.

According to Delegate Levy, the suspects claimed they did not recall whether they forgot to secure the equipment, who was assigned to do so, or who was responsible for verifying that everything was properly connected.

“They do not remember whether they forgot to attach the ropes, or who was supposed to do it, or who failed to check,” Levy said. “But the fact is the ropes were not attached to her.”

As investigators attempted to reconstruct the sequence of events, attention increasingly shifted toward the missing camera.

Witness Rafael Goulart told reporters that he observed an employee remove a camera from Rodrigues de Freitas after the fall.

“I saw the girl on the ground,” Goulart said. “[I saw] one of the employees removing the GoPro camera from the neck strap of the body that was already on the ground, either worried about the equipment or wanting to hide evidence.”

His statement became one of several factors prompting investigators to pursue evidence-tampering allegations.

According to police records cited by Brazilian news organizations, the three newly arrested suspects were positioned below the bridge and were assigned limited responsibilities during the operation.

Their primary role allegedly involved assisting participants after they completed their jumps, including removing equipment and helping retrieve ropes.

Authorities claim that after Rodrigues de Freitas fell, the suspects left the immediate area and traveled into nearby wooded terrain, where they allegedly attempted to conceal evidence.

The allegations remain under investigation, and defense attorneys have challenged portions of the narrative presented by prosecutors.

Attorney Vitor Aurélio, who represents Gonçalves, argued that his client played only a minimal role in the operation and was not directly involved in preparing participants for jumps.

“They didn’t have a typical or active role in the jump,” Aurélio said. “They only participated at the moment the jump ended.”

According to the attorney, one person helped pull ropes back up after jumps while another assisted participants in removing equipment.

Aurélio also acknowledged that one of the suspects reportedly saw the camera after the incident.

“He saw the camera,” the lawyer said. “It’s in his interest for the camera to appear here, because he provided assistance and didn’t participate in anything.”

Despite ongoing searches, authorities have not yet recovered the device.

The absence of the camera has become increasingly significant because it may contain footage capable of confirming exactly how the jump was prepared and whether safety procedures were followed.

Investigators believe the recording could potentially reveal who handled the equipment, whether final safety checks were performed, and what occurred during the final moments before Rodrigues de Freitas was launched from the bridge.

Without the camera, authorities must rely more heavily on witness statements, surveillance footage, photographs, and physical evidence collected at the scene.

The victim’s family has continued to seek answers as the investigation expands.

Rodrigues de Freitas had reportedly hoped to become a physical education teacher and was described by relatives and friends as adventurous, energetic, and passionate about sports.

Shortly before the jump, she posted on social media about the experience, expressing excitement about participating in the activity.

That post has since taken on heartbreaking significance following her death.

Meanwhile, investigators continue examining whether the operation itself was authorized.

Earlier findings suggested the group organizing the jump may not have possessed the necessary permissions to conduct activities at the bridge.

Authorities are also reviewing safety procedures, training records, equipment inspections, and organizational responsibilities.

The São Paulo Secretariat of Public Security has emphasized that investigators remain focused on determining every aspect of what occurred.

“The Civil Police are continuing their investigations to fully clarify the dynamics of the events, identify all criminal responsibilities, and locate the camera used by the victim at the time of the jump,” the agency said.

Officials described the missing camera as an important element in reconstructing the tragedy.

As the investigation moves forward, the device remains one of the most sought-after pieces of evidence in the case.

Its disappearance has transformed what was already a fatal negligence investigation into a broader inquiry involving allegations of evidence suppression and obstruction.

For prosecutors, recovering the camera could provide critical answers.

For the family of Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, it may represent one of the last opportunities to understand exactly how a recreational adventure ended in a catastrophic and fatal mistake.

Until the device is found—or investigators determine conclusively what happened to it—the mystery surrounding the camera is likely to remain at the center of one of Brazil’s most closely watched criminal investigations.