A 53-YEAR-OLD man has been arrested in connection with the tragic deaths of his wife, stepchildren and brother-in-law after they were poisoned while having a New Year’s Day meal.

Francisco Pereira was taken into custody on Wednesday morning in Parnaiba, Brazil, just a week after he allegedly laced the family’s rice with rat poison.

Pereira was held this morning on suspicion of killing one-year-old Igno Davi da Silva, his three-year-old sister Lauane, his 32-year-old partner Francisca Maria da Silva and her 18-year-old brother Manoel.

The four victims died over seven days after eating a New Years Day rice and beans dish laced with rat poison.

Detectives in Parnaiba in the north-east Brazilian state of Piaui confirmed earlier this week they had launched a murder probe, saying they believed someone put a pesticide used to kill rodents in the rice deliberately which Francisca and eight relatives ate.

The 53-year-old suspect was also hospitalised briefly before being discharged.

Lauane’s four-year-old sister is still in serious condition in hospital in Teresina near Parnaiba.

Cops revealed that the suspect’s chilling motivation may have been Pereira having anger towards his wife and her children.

Piaui Civil Police chief Abimael Silva said at a press conference following the arrest: “He revealed, as did his stepdaughters, that the relationship between them was troubled, to say the least.

“He did not speak to any of his wife’s children and had a specific feeling of hatred towards Francisca Maria, the children’s mother.

“This feeling of hatred was so great that even with her on her deathbed, he couldn’t hide it in his statement.

“He said that when he looked at her he felt disgust and anger. These are his words in his statement.”

One-year-old Igno tragically died on Thursday – a day after 18-year-old Manoel died in an ambulance on his way to hospital.

Igno’s three-year-old sister Lauane died in the early hours of Monday, local media reports.

And the suspect’s wife, Francisca, died in the early hours of Tuesday.

Four other people, including Pereira’s wife’s four-year-old child, survived.

The tot, however, remains hospitalised and in critical condition.

Police chief Silva said that suspect Pereira had told investigators that he hated Francisca’s children.

Silva explained: “He called them ‘primates’, unhygienic people, people he didn’t want to be around, but he put up with them.”

He added that the arrest was made possible due to accounts that Pereira provided which differed from what was provided by others who live at the home.

Silva said: “We are not saying that he is guilty, that he committed the crime.

“It is likely that he is, but we should not anticipate the judgment.”

Pereira was put in pretrial detention for 30 days.