Kriti Mehrotra
When Brazilian model and actress Eliza Silva Samudio suddenly disappeared in June 2010 without a trace left behind, it left her entire community shaken to its core. That’s because, as explored in Netflix’s ‘An Invisible Victim: The Eliza Samudio Case,’ she had been claiming for over a year that her then-boyfriend had been violent towards her, yet nothing was done. Little did anybody know soccer star Bruno Fernandes would actually end up killing her, only for their 4-month-old son to then go into the care of his maternal grandmother Sônia Fátima Silva Moura.
Sônia Moura Wasn’t a Huge Part of Eliza Samudio’s Life
Although Eliza was born on February 22, 1985, as the only child of farmer Sônia Moura and architect Luis Carlos Samudio, she was primarily only raised by the latter in in Foz do Iguaçu. That’s because the couple had actually gotten pregnant pretty early on in their relationship, driving the latter to assert that if Sônia didn’t want to be a part of their family, she was welcome to leave. According to the show, that’s precisely what she did when their daughter was around 1, largely owing to the toxicity of their own connection – they were allegedly quite abusive and violent toward one another.
Sônia hence moved out of their place and the area for better financial opportunities, unaware she’d soon come across her second husband in Mato Grosso do Sul, with whom she had a son. Nevertheless, she didn’t really forget Eliza. Yet, when she tried to have her come to her for good, Luis made it clear that while she could visit and reconnect with their daughter, there was no way he was letting her go. However, Eliza did come to stay with her for a year at the age of 10 before returning to her fathers’, only for them all to gradually grow apart. When she vanished, Sônia hadn’t seen her in six years.
Sônia Moura Happily Took in Her Grandson in 2010
As per the documentary series, Sônia was aware of what had been happening to her daughter and her missing case thanks to the news, so she knew her 4-month-old son was alive. Bruninho Samudio, named after his father Bruno Fernandes but having the last name of his mother, was initially given to Luis since he had been quite vocal in Eliza’s case, just for things to soon change. Once Sônia learned of this, she spoke to her husband as well as other family members before contacting her lawyers to get custody of the little boy, which was easily granted since Luis had actually been accused of raping a 10-year-old girl in an unrelated case.
While Sônia did ask the public for some mercy, even though she knew her ex’s actions were an atrocity, because God would bring justice, she had no kind words for her grandson’s father. In fact, she once asserted she hoped Bruno/her daughter’s killer was “not the father. Because when the child grows up, he will ask questions about his mother. And we can not lie to a child.” She also added she would never seek child support or any sort of financial backing from the then-football star because she wants nothing to do with him, and she has genuinely stuck to her word.
In other words, Sônia raised Bruninho all by herself in Campo Grande, Brazil, only for him to now be a teenager and a goalkeeper, exactly like both his mother as well as his father. In fact, he is so skilled that he recently even signed a contract with the Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas sports club in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – this is a series A team for minors and is actually well-known. As if that’s not enough, the 14-year-old is also associated with Welt Sports Football Agency and Be the N1, making it clear he is well on the path of playing professional soccer without any nepotism.
Sônia Moura is Keeping Eliza’s Legacy Alive
Despite the fact that Sônia and Eliza didn’t have the greatest relationship and weren’t on the best of terms even in the end, they reportedly did have care, love, and respect for one another. That’s what the former has since embraced in every sense of the term to now serve as a proud family woman, a Campo Grande-based professional farmer, as well as an advocate against femicide. She never shies away from making the heinous statistics around this issue known or ensuring that her daughter is included in conversations about the same to truly highlight the severity of this matter. In other words, all she wants now is to move forward in life while also keeping the memories and legacy of her daughter alive.
Read More: Bruno Fernandes: Where is the Killer Now?
