Brazilian Woman Miraculously Survives 5 Days Gagged and Chained To Bed by Ex-Husband

A 24-year-old Brazilian woman was found gagged and chained to a bed in a locked house in Águas Lindas de Goiás after vanishing for five days, with police arresting her ex-husband on suspicion of kidnapping.

Emiliane Tamara Nunes Carvalho was discovered on 21 August 2026 when officers investigating her disappearance heard noises coming from inside the rented property.

Police said Carvalho was wearing a mask that made it difficult for her to breathe, and firefighters were called to free her from the restraints. Her former husband, Ailton Rodrigues Mendes, was arrested after police located him and linked him to the address.

The case has attracted national attention because Carvalho had previously sought protective measures against Rodrigues before her disappearance. A Goiás court said a later request was rejected because the evidence then available did not objectively establish an immediate risk or link him to the conduct she reported.

Police Trace Rented House After Disappearance

Carvalho was last seen at about 1pm on 17 August after leaving a clinic in Jardim Barragem I and crossing a footbridge towards Sector 10, according to Goiás Civil Police. Her family alerted authorities after she stopped replying to calls and messages.

Her mother, Sirlene Nunes, said she became concerned when Rodrigues' business closed around the time Carvalho vanished. She told TV Anhanguera that the coincidence had made her fear that something was wrong.

Carvalho said she had gone to the former couple's business premises to discuss arrangements for their children ahead of a planned custody hearing. In an interview with Brazilian broadcaster Brasil Urgente, she said Rodrigues had repeatedly asked to reunite and 'never accepted the separation' after their relationship ended in December.

Police said Rodrigues had bought a new vehicle, which officers spotted in central Águas Lindas de Goiás on 21 August. He was detained after allegedly failing to obey an order to stop, and officers then identified a house he had rented in the Jardim América III district.

The property was secured from outside with chains and a padlock, police said. Officers entered after hearing sounds inside and found Carvalho restrained in a bedroom.

Police said Carvalho did not initially know how long she had been in the house. After officers told her it was Friday, she said she had last left home on Monday.

Ex-Husband Held as Officers Seize Firearm

According to Goiás Civil Police, Rodrigues told officers that he had drugged Carvalho with antidepressant medication before taking her to the property. Police also seized a 9mm pistol at the address.

Rodrigues was arrested in flagrante and his detention was later converted to pre-trial detention following a custody hearing.

He is being investigated in connection with suspected kidnapping and illegal firearm possession, while the allegations have not been tested in court.

A handwritten letter signed by Carvalho was recovered during the rescue, according to police.

UOL Notícias reported that it referred to her possessions, included farewell messages and advised her mother to seek a lawyer; the circumstances in which it was written remain part of the investigation.

Major Jorge Paiva of Goiás Military Police said the initial assessment was that Carvalho had been forced to sign the letter. Police said the document was found in Rodrigues' possession at the time he was approached.

Previous Protective Orders and Court Decisions

Carvalho had previously been granted protective measures in 2020 after reporting threats, police said. The order later expired after she withdrew the earlier complaint and the related case was closed.

In 2026, she made a further request after reporting alleged stalking, damage to property and other incidents. The Goiás Court of Justice said the request was denied because the information then available did not establish an immediate risk or objectively connect Rodrigues to the reported acts.

Victim Speaks After Hospital Discharge

Carvalho received hospital treatment and was later discharged, according to G1 Goiás. In social-media posts after the rescue, she thanked family and friends who helped look for her and said she was recovering.

In an interview with Correio Braziliense, Carvalho urged women to leave at the first sign of abusive behaviour. Her account of the relationship and any further alleged abuse should be treated as her testimony while the police investigation continues.

Rodrigues' lawyer, Ilvan Barbosa, said it was premature to draw conclusions because the police inquiry remains under way. He said the defence maintained that public accounts of the case did not necessarily reflect the full facts and called for due process.

The investigation is continuing in Goiás, where police and prosecutors will determine whether formal charges follow. Rodrigues is entitled to the presumption of innocence.