August 15 Marks the Premiere of a Chilling True-Crime Docuseries on Prime Video
Prime Video is gearing up to drop a chilling new true-crime docuseries called Abandoned: The Woman in the Decaying House, set to premiere worldwide on August 15, 2025. This three-part Amazon Original dives into a shocking case that gripped Brazil in July 2022, sparked by journalist Chico Felitti’s wildly popular podcast, A Mulher da Casa Abandonada.The series centers on Margarida Bonetti, a woman who lived in a crumbling mansion in São Paulo’s upscale Higienópolis neighborhood.
Felitti first got curious about her while walking in the area, noticing a strange woman with white cream on her face living in a decaying house. His podcast uncovered a dark story: Margarida and her ex-husband, Renê Bonetti, were accused of holding a Brazilian domestic worker in slave-like conditions in the United States for nearly 20 years. According to FandomWire, the victim, who stayed silent for almost 30 years, shares haunting new details about the abuse she endured. Renê was convicted in the U.S., sentenced to over six years in prison, and fined $100,000, as reported by The Washington Post.
Margarida, however, fled to Brazil before facing trial, protected by the country’s laws against extraditing citizens, per The Sun. She’s been living in her family’s rundown mansion ever since, becoming a local enigma.The docuseries, directed by Katia Lund, Livia Gama, and Yasmin Thayná, and executive produced by Felitti, picks up where the podcast left off. It includes fresh footage from the U.S., interviews with police, former neighbors, and FBI experts, plus never-before-seen details about the case, according to Papelpop. The show explores why Margarida, once part of São Paulo’s elite, became a recluse and a figure of fascination.
The podcast’s massive success turned her house into a bizarre tourist spot, with people snapping selfies outside and some even spotting her with white ointment on her face, as noted by The Global TV Place.Felitti’s investigation, first shared through his podcast for Folha de S.Paulo, revealed a story that’s equal parts creepy and heartbreaking. The victim, an illiterate Brazilian woman, was brought to the U.S. by the Bonettis in the 1970s and endured years of physical and emotional abuse.
The series promises to shed light on these horrors while digging into Brazil’s social issues, like the exploitation of domestic workers.
Fans of true crime are already buzzing about this one, and with its mix of shocking revelations and deep dives into a case that shook a nation, Abandoned: The Woman in the Decaying House is set to keep viewers glued to their screens. Mark your calendars for August 15 to catch it exclusively on Prime Video.
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