Tragedy on CE-060: Family Lost in Devastating Car Accident

On Sunday, July 16, the Cariri region of Brazil was rocked by the heartbreaking loss of a young family. Hérida Nascimento da Silva, 26, her husband Sebastião Cícero Gomes, and their 3-year-old son Miguel died in a car accident along the CE-060 highway between Caririaçu and Juazeiro do Norte. Their vehicle was later found submerged in a river, with all three inside.

The family had left their hometown of Várzea Alegre early that morning, headed to Juazeiro do Norte for a minor surgery Miguel was scheduled to undergo. What started as a hopeful trip ended in tragedy before they reached the hospital.

Authorities believe the crash occurred around 7 a.m. near Sítio Piripiri. For reasons still under investigation, the car veered off the road and plunged into a five-meter-deep stream. The strong current made rescue impossible.

Firefighters labored for hours to recover the vehicle. “It was heartbreaking,” one said. “They were just a loving family — and in seconds, everything was gone.” Investigators pointed to slick roads, poor lighting, and missing guardrails on CE-060, a stretch notorious for fatal accidents.

The community mourned deeply. Hérida was remembered as a cheerful market vendor and devoted mother, Sebastião as a kind truck driver, and Miguel as the bright center of their lives. Hundreds attended their funeral, with a memorial now marking the crash site — a somber reminder of lives tragically cut short.