A haunting photo captured the final moments of a seven-year-old boy who died after climbing into a mound of powdered limestone, a common building material left on the side of the road.
Arthur Emanuel Bitencourt was seen giving a double thumbs up while playing in the heap, which poisoned him after he accidentally inhaled particles of the powder.
The young boy was rushed to hospital on August 3 after inhaling the toxic dust, but was tragically pronounced dead on arrival.
His heartbroken family shared the photo of the boy in the limestone powder minutes before he died, warning others about its dangers.
The boy’s uncle shared the photo and added, “The memories I will have of you my dear child will always be the best.”
This photo was taken just before Arthur died from inhaling the poisonous powder
Arthur’s family reportedly said they had no idea of the dangers of the toxic dust. Pictured: the seven-year-old with his mother Marlene
The boy’s heartbroken uncle shared the photo as a warning to others about the dangers of limestone powder
Arthur jumped into the toxic material near his family’s property in Ipiranga, Parana, in southern Brazil, according to the Brazilian outlet Razao diary.
After the boy was pronounced dead when rushed to hospital, medics reportedly determined the cause of death was inhalation of the powder.
His devastated uncle Romaldo Bitencourt shared his cousin’s final moments on Facebook, as Arthur’s family claimed they were unaware of the powder’s dangers.
“This photo was taken a few minutes before his tragic death, caused by inhaling limestone while playing,” he said. “The memories of you, my love, will always be the best.”
“Our gratitude to GOD for Arthur being a treasure in our lives, who stayed with us for seven years, a month and ten days,” he said in a separate post.
“Life is like a moving train, but our dear and beloved son, brother, nephew, nephew, grandson, still landed in the beginning of the journey.”
Tributes poured in for the boy after his sad passing, with a woman who appeared to be a friend of Arthur’s mother saying, “May God comfort the hearts of all the family now, you will be in our hearts forever, Arthur!”
“Yesterday was a day of great joy, which will forever be engraved in Luiz’s heart, and today God wanted you to be close to him!” she said, next to an image of the child enjoying a birthday party.
Arthur pictured himself with his uncle Romaldo, who said after the seven-year-old’s death ‘the memories of you, my dear, will always be the best’
His uncle shared in another post that despite the tragedy, he felt gratitude for the boy’s seven years and described him as a “treasure”
Limestone powder is commonly used in construction and safety standards require workers to wear face masks, protective clothing, gloves and goggles when handling it
The substance is often used in construction in the manufacture of materials such as bricks, cement and concrete.
Workers wear face masks around the fabric while it is being used in construction, and safety standards require gloves, goggles and protective clothing to be used.
Authorities warn that inhaling it can cause serious lung problems, and it can also cause cancer, skin irritation and eye damage.
Symptoms of harmful exposure to the powder include decreased lung function, shortness of breath and persistent cough.
It can also be used by farmers to treat their soil and increase crop yields, and the background of the photograph of Arthur playing in the dust featured a large tractor.
Police launched an investigation into the boy’s death and he was buried the day after he launched himself into the pile of powder.