Warning: This article contains discussion of themes which some readers may find distressing.
The mother of a 21-year-old woman who died in a rope jumping incident has posted a heartbreaking tribute online after police said the instructors involved admitted she had not been attached to safety equipment before the jump.
Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas, from Jandira, died on Saturday, June 14, after a rope jumping stunt at the “Skeleton Bridge” site in Limeira, São Paulo. Police say the incident happened at Ponte do Esqueleto, an abandoned bridge in the countryside of São Paulo state that has become known for extreme sports.
As she got ready to jump, Maria was positioned with her arms outstretched in a crucifix-style pose. According to investigators, two instructors lifted her and launched her from the bridge while she was not properly secured.
According to reports, the safety cord had not been fastened. Footage shared on social media reportedly captured the moment bystanders began screaming as she fell.
Rope jumping is different from bungee jumping: it uses low-stretch climbing ropes that send the jumper into a pendulum-like swing rather than the vertical bounce associated with elastic bungee cords.
In the aftermath, Maria’s mother shared a message on Instagram alongside a photo of her daughter.
The post, which was written in Portuguese, translates to:
“My beloved daughter, today I wanted to hug you more than a thousand times [crying emoji]. How much your departure hurts me [white heart emoji].
“Love you forever my princess And thank you for being part of my life during these 21 years,” she continued.
“God, thank you for this privilege.”
Support poured in from people across the world in the comments section.
One person wrote:
“Many condolences from Italy. Sending so much love.”
Another said:
“May Jesus comfort your heart, mom, because ONLY HE has this power since I can’t even imagine the size of your pain.”
Police said Maria suffered multiple fractures in the fall and died at the scene. Investigators later said the three instructors involved in the jump acknowledged that she was not connected to any safety ropes when she was launched.
The instructors — Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42 — were arrested and could face manslaughter charges, according to police. Authorities have also opened a wider investigation into the company and the circumstances of the jump.
Maria was buried on Sunday, June 15. Just hours before the incident, she had posted about the experience on social media.
Sharing a photo of her wristbands, she wrote:
“Who was the crazy person who let me come jump off a bridge?”
Police have also noted that there have been several previous incidents linked to the bridge in recent years. Local officials have said the site had already drawn concern before the fatal jump, and the city has since renewed calls for stronger action over access and safety at the location.
Levy added that the circumstances of Maria’s death were unlike anything previously recorded there.