Police In Brazil Begin Investigation After Death Of Taylor Swift Fan At Eras Tour Show In Rio

Brazilian entertainment company Time4Fun faces an inquiry after a fan's tragic death at a Taylor Swift concert. Rio de Janeiro authorities are investigating potential charges of endangering attendees' life and health.

The inquiry, not directly linked to the death, prompted an apology from Time4Fun and reassurance of safety measures. The organizers, who have been in operation for over 40 years, expressed readiness to assist the family and cooperate with authorities.

According to NBC News, an inquiry has been initiated into a Brazilian entertainment firm following the tragic death of a fan during a Taylor Swift concert they hosted last week.

Rio de Janeiro authorities revealed on Wednesday that they are examining Time4Fun, the organizers of the Eras Tour concerts in Brazil.

The Civil Police Department spokesperson stated that the consumer delegations department is investigating potential charges related to "endangering the life and health" of attendees.

"Event organizers will be called to testify, and other steps are underway to investigate the facts," the spokesperson said.

The outlet reported that the investigation isn't directly tied to the death of Ana Clara Benevides Machado, the Taylor Swift fan who tragically passed away on November 17 from cardiac arrest during the artist's concert due to high temperatures.

In response, Time4Fun issued a detailed statement in Portuguese, expressing condolences and emphasizing the priority of consumer and employee well-being. The statement read, "The comfort, safety, and well-being of our consumers and employees are always our priorities."

It continued: "Regarding the events in Rio de Janeiro, we apologize to the fans who did not have the best possible experience. We are absolutely devastated by the loss … despite the prompt care and all the efforts carried out by the medical teams at the event and, later, at the hospital."

In their statement, event organizers claimed that, in over 40 years of operation, this was the first time a fatality occurred at one of their events.

They expressed readiness to assist Ana's family and mentioned communicating through the family's attorney, adding: "We make ourselves available to family members to provide any assistance they may need necessary."

Acknowledging the irreparable loss, they emphasized: "We understand the deep pain of this loss irreparable, we respect the family's privacy and reinforce T4F's willingness to collaborate with both the family and the responsible authorities, who are still working to determine the cause of death."

Time4Fun's CEO, Serafim Abreu, also released a video on Instagram, emphasizing the company's commitment to global safety standards for events. He wrote: "We know the enormous responsibility we have to organize an event of this scale, which is why we did not economize in our efforts or resources to follow the best global practices in our industry to guarantee the comfort and safety of all."

Criticism arose against the organizers following Benevides' death as concert attendees were allegedly barred from bringing water bottles into the crowded stadium amid intense heat of 43.8 degrees Celsius.

In an interview with Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, Weiny Machado, Benevides' father, expressed profound grief, stating, "I lost my only daughter, a happy and intelligent girl. She was about to graduate in psychology next April, saving money."

He added: "I have no words to express my pain. She left home to fulfill a dream and came back dead. I want it to be found out whether they were in fact prohibited from bringing water or whether there was negligence in providing assistance."

In response, Time4Fun adjusted policies for subsequent concerts with an announcement on Instagram. They wrote, "Entry into the stadium with sealed glasses of water and sealed processed food will also be permitted, with no limitation on items per person. We clarify that the requirement for items to be sealed follows safety recommendations."