Taylor Swift Concert Organizers Under Investigation After Fan, 23, Dies at Singer's Rio De Janeiro Show: Report
The concert organizers who put together Taylor Swift’s show in Brazil last week are under investigation after a fan died at the venue.
The concert organizers who put together Taylor Swift’s show in Brazil last week are under investigation after a fan died shortly before the performance began, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In the latest development to come after Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23, passed away from cardiac arrest before Swift’s concert in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, Brazil authorities announced that the Time4Fun organizers are under investigation for “the crime of endangering the life and health” of nearly 60,000 attendees.
Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23, passed away from cardiac arrest before Swift’s concert in Rio de Janeiro on Friday.
According to a spokesperson for the Civil Police Department of Rio de Janeiro, its consumer delegations department launched the probe against Time4Fun following – but not in direct response – to Machado’s tragic passing.
“Event organizers will be called to testify, and other steps are underway to investigate the facts,” the spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.
The news of the investigation came just hours before Time4Fun CEO Serafim Abreu released a video in which he apologized to "all who did not have the best possible experience” at Swift’s Rio de Janeiro performance last week.
"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,” Abreu said in the video posted on Thursday.
Abreu also admitted that Time4Fun could have taken "alternative steps" to create a better experience for fans – such as adding more shaded areas to help the nearly 60,000 concertgoers amid the record-high temperatures.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, Machado passed away from cardiac arrest on November 17 shortly before the first of Swift’s three Eras Tour performances in Rio de Janeiro.
The concert was held despite record-high temperatures that reached 138 degrees Fahrenheit, and the 33-year-old superstar was forced to postpone Saturday’s show in the Brazilian city due to the devastating heat.
Swift later released a statement following Machado’s death and the singer said that she was “overwhelmed with grief” due to the heartbreaking loss of her fan.
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Swift said that she was “overwhelmed with grief” due to the heartbreaking loss of her fan.
“I can't believe I'm writing these words but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show,” she wrote after her show on Friday. “I can't even tell you how devastated I am by this.”
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“There's very little information I have other than the fact that she was so incredibly beautiful and far too young,” Swift continued. “I’m not going to be able to speak about this from stage because I feel overwhelmed by grief when I even try to talk about it.”
“I want to say now that I feel this loss deeply and my broken heart goes out to her family and friends,” she added. “This is the last thing I ever thought would happen when we decided to bring this tour to Brazil."
Swift currently has three more shows scheduled in São Paulo this coming weekend.
Swift currently has three more shows scheduled in São Paulo this coming weekend.
Fans will reportedly be allowed to bring in their own water to battle the ongoing heat wave taking place across Brazil.
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