The death of 21-year-old Maria Eduarda Rodrigues de Freitas during a bungee-style jump from a bridge about 40 meters high in Limeira, São Paulo, Brazil, has drawn renewed public attention after new testimony emerged from a nurse who was at the scene.

According to Brazilian media, Rayza Dias was among the first people to reach Maria after the fatal fall on June 13. The nurse said she tried to make her way down to the area beneath Skeleton Bridge to provide first aid, despite the difficult terrain.

“My hands were scratched because the slope was very steep, and there was only one rope for us to hold onto,” Rayza told the Brazilian program Domingo Espetacular. She said the area below the bridge was covered in mud and that the group had to walk the entire way down.

What made the tragedy even more heartbreaking was Rayza’s claim that Maria was still alive when she reached her.

“I even spoke to her. I have a habit of joking that no one dies on my shift. And I told Maria: ‘No one dies on my shift,’ even though I was not actually working at the time,” the nurse said emotionally.

After the incident, police arrested six people connected to the group organizing the jump. Among them, three men were identified as directly involved in Maria’s jump: Luis Felipe Feliciano Egoroff, 32, Vitor de Freitas Gonçalves, 27, and Maicon Fernandes Cintra, 42.

The three remain in custody and are facing charges related to homicide with indirect intent.

According to G1, during questioning, the three staff members reportedly appeared confused and were unable to explain why the main safety rope had not been attached to Maria before she was released from the bridge. They also could not clearly remember who was responsible for the final equipment check before the jump.

One of the men arrested, Egoroff, had reportedly posted several extreme-jump videos on social media before Maria’s death. He often shared footage of jumps from an abandoned railway line and other dangerous locations.

One video from 2023 has sparked particular concern. It reportedly shows Egoroff holding a bungee rope with one hand while a young boy clings tightly to his neck before the two jump from the edge of a bridge.

Other photos and videos on Instagram also appear to show Egoroff standing on narrow rocky ledges or jumping from bridge structures in conditions many viewers have described as highly dangerous.

The group’s defense attorney told Brazilian media that the three men had years of experience in the activity and had never been involved in a fatal accident before.

Still, Maria’s death has triggered widespread outrage in Brazil. The question many people continue to ask is simple: how could a participant in a high-risk activity be released from a 40-meter bridge without the main safety rope attached?

The investigation is ongoing.