São Paulo, Brazil — Eleven-year-old Millena Brandão, a rising star known for her roles in popular television productions, has died after experiencing severe health complications. Her mother, Thays Brandão, confirmed that Millena suffered from multiple heart attacks before passing away at Granjaú General Hospital.
Millena fell ill last Wednesday, initially presenting with intense headaches and pain in her leg. After being admitted to the hospital on Friday, she endured a harrowing series of 13 cardiac arrests within 48 hours. As of Monday, the cause of her death was still undetermined. “The doctors haven’t confirmed what actually happened to my daughter,” Thays told a local news outlet.
Signs of Millena’s illness had begun to surface weeks prior. Since April 24, she had experienced persistent headaches, drowsiness, and loss of appetite, prompting her family to seek medical attention. Initial diagnoses at various healthcare facilities suggested she had dengue fever, but subsequent tests revealed a concerning brain tumor. This late diagnosis has raised serious questions about the care she received throughout her ordeal.
Millena’s mother expressed frustration with the medical response during multiple visits to hospitals, including Pedreira General Hospital, where Millena was treated for headaches without adequate testing or follow-up. Despite her worsening condition, Thays was told to give her daughter pain medication and return home.
The family’s distress continued as they sought care for Millena. On April 26, after struggling to participate in a modeling event due to leg pain, she was again taken to Pedreira General Hospital. There, she faced additional challenges, as tests failed to yield clear answers about her condition.
As her health deteriorated, the family made their way to a local urgent care center. Test results ruled out major infections, showing only a urinary tract infection. However, her symptoms escalated. Thays recounted a moment of sheer panic when Millena fainted at home, leading to an emergency trip to the Maria Antonieta Urgent Care Facility, where staff advised them to transfer her to a specialized medical center.
Upon her arrival at Granjaú General Hospital, doctors intubated Millena after her first cardiac arrest. Thays described the heartbreaking scene when her daughter turned unresponsive, leading to a frantic effort to resuscitate her. With diagnostic capabilities limited, the medical team identified a five-centimeter mass in her brain but could not determine its nature without surgery.
The incident has ignited scrutiny over the medical care Millena received and the adequacy of the facilities involved. Thays raised concerns about why her daughter was not referred to a hospital with specialized neurological care earlier in the process, as Millena’s condition rapidly declined after her initial visits.
“The way she suffered during those days was unimaginable,” Thays reflected. Millena experienced multiple respiratory arrests and was subjected to attempts at resuscitation, which included both manual stimulation and defibrillation. Her family’s anguish continues as they seek answers and grapple with the loss of a vibrant young talent, whose life was cut tragically short.