Brazil: Hunt on for head of British girl found in suitcase

Detectives who discovered the dismembered corpse of a British teenager in a suitcase in Brazil were today searching for her remaining body parts.

Remains of 17-year-old Cara Burke, from Wandsworth, south London, were dumped on a riverbank in the city of Goiania after she was killed by her boyfriend, police claim.

Mohamed D’Ali Carvalho Santos, 20, was charged with murder after confessing to killing her before photographing her remains on his mobile phone, state police inspector Jorge Moreira da Silva said.

Police claimed Miss Burke was stabbed to death after she threatened to tell his parents he was a drug dealer addicted to cocaine.

She was also threatening to tell police, Mr da Silva said.

After stabbing Miss Burke on Saturday, Santos left her body in the bathroom and went to a party, returning to dismember her the next day, the police inspector added.

Miss Burke’s body was reportedly identified by her family in England, who identified her from a tattoo that said “Mum” after images of the body were broadcast on television, Mr da Silva said.

He said the teenager met Santos when he was living in London.

It was reported Miss Burke had refused to marry Santos who wanted a British passport.

Police were said to be still searching for Miss Burke’s head and limbs, which Santos said he hid in a rural area about 20 miles outside Goiania.

Her other remains were discovered by the side of a river in the city on Monday, according to local detectives.

The Foreign Office said in a statement: “We can confirm the death of a British national in Goiania in Brazil.

“Next of kin have been informed and we are providing consular assistance to the family.”

Santos was understood to be a Brazilian national whose mother was living in London.

Goiania is the capital and the largest city in the state of Goias, in the central-western region of Brazil.

Santos and Miss Burke were reportedly living there for several months.

Miss Burke’s brother, Michael Burke, told The Times she was due to return to London two weeks ago but was injured in a motorcycle crash on the way to the airport.

He said: “My mum had paid for the ticket home and we were looking forward to having her back. She was a wonderful sister.”

She was a former pupil at Southfields Community School and played for the Chelsea FC ladies team, the paper reported.