Mother, Daughter Die After Christmas Meal Suspected of Being Poisoned

A mother and her teenage daughter have died in southern Italy after falling critically ill hours after eating a Christmas meal that investigators suspect may have been contaminated with rat poison.

Antonella Di Ielsi, 50, and her 15-year-old daughter, Sara Di Vita, died from multiple organ failure in Campobasso, days after consuming the festive dinner. Antonella’s husband and Sara’s father, Gianni Di Vita, was also hospitalised and remains in intensive care.

Italian authorities believe the meal may have been poisoned and have seized food items from the family’s home in Pietracatella, including clams, mussels, cuttlefish, cod and mushrooms. Investigators are also examining whether the flour used in preparing the meal was contaminated.

According to Corriere della Sera, Gianni owns a flour mill that had recently been infested with rats. Pest control services reportedly laid traps and poison at the mill weeks before the incident, raising concerns that rat poison may have accidentally contaminated the flour.

Antonella and Sara reportedly fell ill on the afternoon of December 25 and were taken to hospital, where they were discharged. They returned the following morning with worsening symptoms but were again sent home. On December 27, both were admitted to intensive care, where they died the next day.

Friends of Sara said she had remained hopeful despite her illness. Speaking to La Repubblica, her friends Giovanna, Donatella and Giuseppe said Sara believed the hospital treatment would help her recover and had made plans to attend social events in the days ahead.

Investigators are focusing on a meal eaten on December 23. The family’s other daughter did not take part in the meal and reportedly suffered no symptoms. Authorities say the exact food consumed remains unclear as Gianni is still unable to give a statement.

Meanwhile, five doctors are under investigation on suspicion of medical negligence over the decision to discharge the mother and daughter twice before their deaths.