On Wednesday doctors removed 14 needles from the body of a two-year-old Brazilian boy whose stepfather said he wanted to kill him with them.
On the same day, police formally charged the stepfather, Roberto Carlos Magalhães, 30, and his lover, Angelina Ribeiro dos Santos, 47.
Doctors in the north-eastern city of Salvador successfully operated to remove needles from the boy's intestines, liver and bladder. Last week they had removed four rusty needles near his heart and lungs.
Suzi Moreno, a spokeswoman for the Ana Nery hospital, said the boy was recovering well in intensive care after the three-hour operation.
Magalhães recently told the TV network Globo that he tried to kill the child to take revenge on his wife, who he said had made him suffer a lot. He said he made the boy drowsy with wine while dos Santos held him down and he pushed the needles into his body. The boy was so drunk he didn't cry while the needles went in, but felt the pain once the alcohol wore off. Police said a person suspected of preparing the wine mixture was being investigated as an accomplice.
Magalhães said he believed the needles would work their way through the boy's body and kill him without anyone finding out. But the pain eventually made the child complain to his mother, and X-rays revealed the needles throughout his body.
Doctors said another operation was planned for next week to remove needles lodged near the boy's spine.
Police in the northern state of Maranhão also said on Wednesday that they had arrested a man suspected of inserting seven needles into his two-year-old son's body in August. Two of the needles have already been removed, and police are investigating the case.
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