Luiz Pedro Fortes dos Santos, aged 70, died after an apparent drowning at Praia de Itaipuaçu in Maricá, on the morning of Thursday 1 January. He was taken to a regional hospital but did not survive.
Santos was the father of Merylin Camargo dos Santos, who died aged 18 in the Kiss nightclub fire in Santa Maria in January 2013. That disaster claimed 242 lives and has continued to affect the families and communities connected to the victims.
Kiss nightclub victim father drowns in Maricá
The drowning occurred at about 07:00 local time. Emergency services attended the scene and Santos was rescued from the water before being transported to hospital. Medical teams later confirmed his death.
Earlier on the same day one of Santos’s children had posted a photograph showing him enjoying the beach at Maricá. The image circulated on social media after news of his death, prompting messages of condolence from friends and acquaintances.
The collective Kiss: que não se repita released a statement expressing sorrow and solidarity with Santos’s family. The group highlighted his connection to the Kiss tragedy and offered particular condolences to his children, Cauê and Led. The organisation said it remains committed to preserving the memory of the victims and to the pursuit of justice.
More than a decade after the fire, legal and social processes arising from the incident continue to resonate in Brazil. Families of those who died maintain calls for accountability and for measures intended to prevent similar tragedies. The death of a parent linked to the case has drawn renewed attention to the long-term human cost endured by relatives of the victims.
Local authorities did not release further details about the circumstances leading to the drowning. Investigations into the precise cause of death and any related factors are the responsibility of regional health and public safety services.
Neighbours and acquaintances remembered Santos as a family man. In tributes posted online, those who knew him recalled outings and family moments, and many noted the added poignancy of his connection to a national tragedy.
Officials in Maricá and representatives of community organisations have offered assistance to the bereaved family as they make arrangements. The collective’s statement underlined that remembrance of the Kiss victims remains central to efforts by survivors and relatives.
This incident serves as a reminder of how national tragedies continue to shape lives many years on. For the family of Merylin Camargo dos Santos, the loss of her father is a new chapter in an enduring story of grief, remembrance and the search for accountability.
Key Takeaways:
- Luiz Pedro Fortes dos Santos, 70, drowned at Itaipuaçu beach in Maricá and later died in hospital.
- He was the father of Merylin Camargo dos Santos, one of 242 victims of the 2013 Kiss nightclub fire in Santa Maria.
- The collective Kiss: que não se repita issued condolences and reaffirmed its commitment to memory and justice.
- The death has reopened public memory of families who remain affected more than a decade after the tragedy.
