Nine-Year-Old’s Fingers Severed in Shocking Bullying Attack at Portugal School
A deeply disturbing case of school violence in Portugal has drawn national outrage after a nine-year-old Brazilian child had two of his fingertips severed by classmates in what lawyers describe as an “extreme and traumatic” act of bullying.
The attack occurred on 10 November at Fonte Coberta Basic School in Cinfães, where the boy was cornered in a bathroom by two schoolmates who trapped him inside and slammed the door shut on his fingers, severing them. With no way to call for help, the child crawled out under the door, leaving behind his severed fingertips and losing significant blood.
His mother, Nivia Estevam, said he had suffered multiple previous assaults, from choking to hair-pulling, but nothing was done to protect him. She described how her son now relies on sleeping pills, cries every night, and relives the attack each time he closes his eyes.
The brutality of the incident has prompted an unprecedented legal response: 27 lawyers have formed a multi-disciplinary team handling civil, criminal, and psychological aspects of the case. Investigators are exploring whether xenophobia contributed to the attack, though the legal team stresses that regardless of motive, the harm is severe and undeniable.
Lawyers have sharply criticised school authorities for failing in their duty of care, and the boy’s mother alleges staff even cleaned the scene before police arrived, treating the incident “like a prank gone wrong.”
Experts say the case reflects a wider problem. Psychologist Melanie Tavares warns that bullying is rising among increasingly younger children, with reported school violence cases in Portugal jumping from 4,620 in 2020–2021 to 7,804 in 2024–2025.
She attributes this surge to modern school environments where children have fewer healthy outlets for play and emotional regulation.
The school group has launched an internal inquiry, though questions remain about why early warning signs were missed and why previous assaults were not addressed.
This case underscores a painful truth for many families: schools that should protect children are becoming unsafe spaces where serious violence can unfold unchecked.
This incident represents a grave violation of the Right of the Child to Protection from All Forms of Physical and Mental Violence.
It also breaches the child’s Right to Education in a Safe and Supportive Environment, free from abuse, discrimination, and neglect. Schools and states carry the legal and moral obligation to ensure children are shielded from harm and must act decisively when their safety is threatened.
