Family Struggles to Recover Body of Dead American from Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – American musician Danielle Davila was found by authorities dead and naked in her rented room in Paraty three weeks ago, but her family has still been unable to send her body back to the states.

The family said the delay had been caused by authorities needing the results of the autopsy and toxicology reports to release the body from the morgue. Several relatives returned to the states after spending weeks attempting to secure the release of Davila’s remains.

Authorities said Wednesday that they had conducted the necessary exams and they will transfer the case to the justice department for final procedures. Police said that there were no signs of physical violence, all valuable items belonging to Davila were found at the scene, and no one had reported any fights or threats against the American.

Davila’s family have expressed mounting frustrations and costs involved in their efforts to navigate Brazil’s bureaucracy. In a GoFundMe page started to request financial donations to help bring the body home, the family has asked for $50,000 to help pay for legal fees and costs associated with their stay in Brazil.

Davila’s sister, Michelle Pedroza, expressed frustration with the delay for police to release the body. “For me, this pain is real and unbearable as I will never get to hold you one last time. To know that I am leaving you in a country that does not value human life. Your body is stuck in a freezer at the IML. It’s now day 11, and we can’t do anything about it. You didn’t deserve this, what this country of Brazil has done to you is so unjust and inhumane,“ she wrote last week.

As of the time of publication, nearly $28,000 have been donated. Davila leaves her mother, two sisters, three brothers, her grandmother and her 12-year-old son Aaron behind. Her family says that any money left over from the donations will be put into a trust for the child who lives in Brazil near Paraty.

Danielle would have turned 33 one week after her death.

Authorities said that with the investigation complete her body would be released and her family will be able to send it to Tampa, Florida.