Christmas Dinner Turns Deadly as Mom and Teen Daughter Die After Family Meal

What began as a traditional Christmas meal turned into a devastating tragedy for a family in southern Italy, leaving a mother and her teenage daughter dead and a community demanding answers.

Antonella Di Lelsi, 50, and her 15-year-old daughter, Sara Di Vita, died within hours of each other after becoming seriously ill following a family dinner in the days leading up to Christmas. Both were treated at Cardarelli Hospital in Campobasso, where they later passed away over the weekend.

Investigators believe the deaths may be linked to food poisoning from a multi-course meal eaten on December 23. The dinner reportedly included mushrooms, fish, and seafood — including mussels — foods commonly served during Christmas celebrations in the region.

In the days after the meal, both Antonella and Sara began experiencing severe nausea and intense abdominal pain. They were hospitalized, discharged twice on December 25 and 26, and then rushed back on Saturday as their symptoms dramatically worsened.

Sara died around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. Her mother passed away just hours later, early Sunday morning.

The family is from Pietracatella, a small mountain town now overwhelmed by grief and anger. The father, Gianni, who also ate the meal, was airlifted to Spallanzani Hospital, where he remains in intensive care. The couple’s other daughter, 18, was hospitalized in Rome as a precaution but has shown no symptoms and is believed not to have eaten the food.

An autopsy has been ordered by the Campobasso Prosecutor’s Office to determine the exact cause of death, including whether food poisoning or an undiagnosed intolerance played a role. Investigators are testing food from the family’s home, including seafood, mushrooms, canned goods, and fresh ingredients.

Friends of Sara say the teenager never believed her condition could become fatal.

“We spoke to her on St. Stephen’s Day,” childhood friends told La Repubblica. “She thought the hospital treatment would be enough. She didn’t think things could get worse.”

They had even made plans to attend birthday parties together in the days ahead.

The Di Vita family is well known in Pietracatella. Gianni, an accountant, previously served two terms as the town’s mayor, making the loss especially painful for the close-knit community.

Residents are now questioning the medical care the mother and daughter received, particularly after learning they were sent home twice before returning to the hospital in critical condition.

“These foods are eaten by everyone here. They’re part of our Christmas tradition,” one resident said. “We want to understand what happened at the hospital.”

Doctors initially suspected gastroenteritis, but as the patients rapidly declined, medical teams began considering more serious causes, including botulism, listeria, acute hepatitis, or possible chemical poisoning.

“The clinical situation evolved in an extremely rare and rapid way,” said Dr. Vincenzo Cuzzone, head of the intensive care unit at Cardarelli Hospital. “There was liver failure, followed by a cascade of events that quickly led to multi-organ failure.”

Italian prosecutors have placed five people under investigation as they review medical records and interview hospital staff to determine whether the deaths could have been prevented.

Pietracatella’s mayor, Antonio Tommasone, called the incident “a tragedy that leaves us speechless,” announcing a day of mourning and the cancellation of all Christmas celebrations.

“The town is now silent,” he said. “We are all hoping Gianni survives.”

For many residents, however, grief is mixed with anger.

“We want to know what caused this,” friends of the family said. “But above all, we want to know if these deaths could have been avoided. You shouldn’t die like this.”