A father allegedly blew nearly $ 217,000 of his dying son’s crowd-funding donations on luxury holidays and brothels.
Father Mateus Henrique Leroy Alves, 37, was arrested in July on suspicion of spending the money raised online to help treat his two-year-old son Joao Miguel’s type 1 spinal muscular atrophy, The Sun reported.
He allegedly used the funds for a luxury trip after travelling from his home in Conselheiro Lafaiete to the city of Salvador in East Brazilian without his wife.
Wife Karine Rodrigues raised the alarm after information he gave her did not add up and when police told her to check the money that been raised for her son suffering from a serious degenerative disease.
She allegedly discovered large amounts of money had been withdrawn and Alves was arrested on his luxury holiday.
It is believed Alves splashed some of the cash on watches, designer clothing, drinks, drugs and expensive aftershave.
Local media reported the suspect allegedly “invested” nearly $ 18,000 in a brothel in Conselheiro Lafaiete, but it is not clear if the funds came from the donation fund.
Investigator Daniel Gomes said Alves had been charged with larceny and material neglect of his family.
Gomes added: “He remains in detention. There has already been a hearing … the sentence is scheduled to be released next month.”
It was reported the donation fund raised $ 358,000 for little Joao Miguel who desperately needed a medication called Spinraza to prevent the disease from advancing.
A single dose costs $ 123,000 a pop.
The toddler was able to get the first dose of the crucial medication in August after the government agreed to pay for the first three doses after the father was arrested.
Tragically, Joao died after his condition got worse at home last week.
He was rushed to the hospital where he died of a heart attack, according to Gomes.
This story was originally published by The Sun and has been republished here with permission.