Brazilian 'needle boy' to have new operation on Wednesday

"The operation is confirmed for Wednesday morning at 8:00 am (1000 GMT)," said a statement on Tuesday from the hospital in Salvador de Bahia, where the boy is being treated.

The needles are to be extracted from the bladder and intestines of the boy, who could not be named because of his young age.

The stepfather, Roberto Carlos Magalhaes,a 30-year-old bricklayer, has confessed to driving the needles into the boy one by one, over a month, as part of a black magic ritual designed to exact revenge on his wife.

He said he intended to kill the boy with the slivers, and acted under the influence of his mistress, who was also arrested along with the alleged "sorceress" who oversaw the ceremonies.

The boy already had one operation last Friday to remove some of the needles from close to his heart and lungs, where they had become infected and were threatening his life.
He was in a stable condition, with no fever, and eating normally, the hospital said