"She was living with her parents before that, and no-one could have foreseen such an abrupt change in her behaviour, " Mr Farias told Clarin newspaper.

BBC: Latin America & Caribbean

The mother's lawyer, Fabian Farias, said Edith was "not in full control of her mental faculties" and said her physical and psychological wellbeing were in danger.

BBC: Latin America & Caribbean

From his perch in a box seat, Brazilian soccer great Romario de Souza Farias summed up the event: "Carnival means the union of all the different people, and all the different races, " he said.

NPR: Carnival in Rio: A Party Like No Other

Mr Pascoal's gang has been tied to a group in the north-eastern state of Alagoas allegedly associated with Augusto Farias, a congressman whose murdered brother ran the influence-peddling ring that led to the impeachment of Fernando Collor as Brazil's president in 1993.

ECONOMIST: Brazil