Doctors battle to save toddler stuck with 50 sewing needles

SAO PAULO: Surgeons hope to remove most of the 50 metal sewing needles inserted into a 2-year-old boy in Brazil but have warned that some are too close to vital organs to pull out.

Brazilian media reported that a former stepfather of the toddler has been detained and he told police that he inserted the needles into the boy with the help of two unidentified women.

The police inspector in charge of the case, Helder Fernandes Santana, told the Agencia Estado news agency that a black magic ritual involving the boy was among the motives police were looking into. "All of our officers are focused on this case, gathering information," he said.