Eloá Pimentel hostage crisis refers to the kidnapping, hostage situation and murder of Brazilian 15-year-old girl Eloá Cristina Pimentel, which was accompanied by the shooting of her friend Nayara Silva, both committed by Eloá's ex-boyfriend Lidemberg Alves. The incident received major media exposure not only because of the shootings, but also because of the mistakes committed by the police of São Paulo, and also because Eloá was held as a hostage for 100 hours – the longest kidnapping ever registered in the state of São Paulo.[1]
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On October 13, 2008, Eloá Pimentel, Nayara da Silva and two friends were working on a school project, when Eloá's 22-year-old ex-boyfriend, Lidemberg Fernandes Alves, broke into her apartment in Santo André, holding a pistol. He soon released the two boys, but held Eloá and Nayara. The GATE (Grupo de Ações Táticas Especiais, or Special Tactical Actions Group) closely followed the case. On October 16, da Silva was eventually released by Alves, but she offered to return to the apartment, to try to negotiate with the kidnapper. After she entered the apartment, she was held hostage again. Hours later, shots were heard coming from the apartment, and the GATE decided to storm in the apartment.[2] They eventually stopped and immobilized him, but not before he could put two bullets in Eloá (one in the head and other in the groin), and one in Nayara's face.[3] Eloá, severely wounded, was taken to the hospital, but was brain dead due to brain damage and died on October 18, at 23:30.[4]
The body of Eloá Pimentel was buried in the Jardim Santo André cemetery, in Santo André, and the ceremony was attended by ten thousand people.[5] Her heart, lungs, liver, pancreas, kidneys and cornea were donated, which will benefit seven people.[6] It was later discovered that Eloá's father, Everaldo Pereira dos Santos, was suspect of murdering two people in the state of Alagoas.[7] Everaldo Pereira dos Santos ran away during the incident but was captured on December 28, 2009, in Maceió.[8]