A 19-year-old man, Gerson de Melo Machado — widely known as “Vaqueirinho” — was killed after entering a lioness’s enclosure at the João Pessoa Zoo on Sunday, November 30. His death has drawn attention to his long history of vulnerability, untreated mental health issues, and multiple past run-ins with the police.

According to police officer Josenice de Andrade Francisco, Machado had 16 prior incidents on record, mostly related to minor theft and property damage. She noted that he showed clear signs of mental instability, and during his most recent visit to the station, a request for psychiatric hospitalization was made but likely never acted upon.

Officers familiar with Machado said he often spoke about wanting to go to Africa to take care of lions, even claiming he could make the trip “on foot.” His repeated fixation on lions ultimately ended in the tragic incident at the zoo.

@latinus_us Un hombre murió este domingo en el zoológico de João Pessoa, en el noreste de Brasil, luego de ingresar al recinto de una leona y ser atacado por el animal. #Latinus #InformaciónParaTi ♬ original sound - Latinus