‘A Life Too Short: The Isabella Nardoni Case,’ also known as ‘Isabella: O Caso Nardoni,’ is a Brazilian crime documentary on Netflix that examines one of the most well-known cases from Brazil. It was directed by Micael Langer and Cláudio Manoel. In the film, we learn the specifics of five-year-old Isabella Nardoni’s death and how it was connected to the fact that her stepmother, Anna Carolina Jatobá, was one of the two women found guilty of the murder. Here is what we know about the latter for those who are unsure of its current location!
Who is Anna Carolina Jatobá?
Anna Carolina Jatobá, a daughter of Alexandre Jatobá, is the second spouse of Isabella Nardoni’s father, Alexandre Nardoni. When Isabella was just eleven months old, her father, her husband, split from her mother, Ana Carolina Oliveira, and shortly after, he began dating her. Although Oliveira does go on to indicate in the Netflix film that Jatobá seemingly matured with the birth of her two kids, Pietro and Cau Nardoni, she does claim that Jatobá had reportedly been envious of her husband’s ex.
She used to spend her weekends with her father, Alexandre, and her weekdays with her mother, Carolina, before Isabella passed away. The latter claimed that Isabella was close to her brothers and seemed to cherish them. Having said that, Jatobá has been accused of being harsh with her stepdaughter. The family’s tragedy occurred on March 29, 2008, when Isabella was found outside the Edifcio London apartment complex where Jatoba, her husband, and their children resided.
According to Alexandre’s accusations, after dropping off his wife and three children at home, he took Isabella to bed where she fell asleep before returning down with the rest of his family. According to him, someone broke into his house while he was away, removed the safety netting that had been put in his daughter’s room window, and threw Isabella out. However, Isabella’s body had other wounds, and there were blood splatters leading from the front entrance of the family’s home to Isabella’s chamber, so it was possible that something else was going on.
On April 2, 2008, the police detained Alexandre and Jatobá based on their suspicions, but they were immediately freed because both men insisted they were not to blame for Isabella’s murder. Further evidence that the pair may have been responsible for the five-year-old’s death led to their re-indictment on April 18, 2008. The two were tried in March 2010 despite their repeated refusals to admit guilt to a crime they said they did not commit.
Where is Anna Carolina Jatobá Now?
On March 22, 2010, Anna Carolina Jatobá and Alexandre Nardoni’s trial got underway. The father of Isabella, Antônio Nardoni, counselled the couple frequently while they maintained their innocence. However, the jury was convinced that they were indeed responsible for Isabella’s death due to the evidence against them and the likely timeline presented by the prosecution that portrayed them as the perpetrators. They were also found guilty of trying to tamper with a crime scene because of their alleged attempt to clean up the blood splatters in their home. In addition to serving a concurrent 8-month sentence for attempting to clean up a crime scene, Jatobá was given a sentence of 26 years and 8 months for the death of Isabella. She has been under an open regime since June 2023, allowing her to spend her days outside the prison and working. She must go back to a court-appointed address at night, though.
