Emiliane Tamara Nunes Carvalho has spoken out about surviving five days chained to a bed after her ex-husband allegedly kidnapped her.
Carvalho, 24, a nursing technician, was found gagged and bound in Águas Lindas de Goiás, Brazil, on Friday, Aug. 21, after vanishing the previous Monday when she met with her former partner to discuss their two children. Military Police located her inside what they described as a grotty residence after hearing screams and busting down a bedroom door.
Chilling video obtained by Jam Press shows the rescue moment. Carvalho was visibly trembling in fear with a gas mask over her face as officers freed her from ropes and chains. She had been bound at the limbs and neck with restraints including handcuffs and chain, and showed signs of breathing difficulties and oxygen deprivation.
“Inside one of the rooms, the victim was located gagged and with the lower and upper limbs, in addition to the neck, restricted by ropes, handcuffs and chain. She also presented breathing difficulties and signs of lack of oxygenation,” the Military Police said in a statement.
Her alleged captor, Ailton Rodrigues de Souza, was arrested Friday and charged with kidnapping, rape, and false imprisonment. Authorities believe he attacked Carvalho when she arrived for what she thought would be a discussion about their children, then brought her to the hideout where he allegedly raped her and kept her drugged.
Evidence found at the scene, including food supplies, suggested de Souza had planned to hold her for several more days. Carvalho was hospitalized following her rescue and has since been discharged, though she continues to experience pain and dizziness.
Carvalho ended her relationship with de Souza in December 2025 after five years together. She has since taken her story public to raise awareness about domestic violence, reflecting on how youth and emotional dependence kept her in the relationship despite warning signs.
“I don’t know if it was love, if it was addiction … it was emotional dependence, because I married him at the age of 18. Love is blind, we don’t see it,” she said.
In the viral moment that drew international attention, Military Police bodycam footage captured officers breaking through a bedroom door to find Carvalho restrained on a bed, a gas mask covering her face, her body shaking as they worked to free her from the elaborate system of ropes, handcuffs and chains that had held her for five days. The clip, distributed by Jam Press, showed the stark conditions of the hideout and the visible trauma of a woman who had gone missing after a routine meeting about co-parenting arrangements.
Carvalho has used her platform to speak directly about the patterns that trapped her in the relationship, emphasizing how early marriage shaped her inability to recognize danger. Her decision to go public comes as Brazil continues to grapple with high rates of domestic violence and femicide, with advocates noting that cases involving former partners often escalate after separation.
De Souza remains in custody facing multiple charges as the investigation continues.