A Brazilian woman who had moved to America has been stabbed to death in front of her two children aged 3 and 7 allegedly by her ex-partner who refused to accept that she had dumped him.

Debora Evangelista Brandao, 34, was stabbed repeatedly in front of the kids in the borough of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, USA, on 18th April.

Cops were called to the scene of a domestic disturbance and found the victim lying on the floor of her house with 12 stab wounds in the chest and abdomen.

She was taken to a local hospital, but was pronounced dead upon arrival.

According to investigators, the victim had arrived home with her children when the suspect turned up, pulled her by the hair, and threw her to the floor.

He then climbed on top of her and stabbed her several times, prompting her to ask her daughter to seek help. Her daughter then ran to the house of a neighbour, who called the police.

The suspect had already fled the scene when the police arrived, and he was arrested in the nearby state of Virginia an hour and a half after the crime.

He has been named as Danilo Sousa Cavalcante, 31, the victim’s ex-partner, who is also Brazilian like her.

The victim’s sister, Sara, said: “She had broken up with him several times and he was always trying to get back with her. I don’t know why he stabbed her. It was very brutal.”

The victim, who hailed from the municipality of Balsas in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Maranhao, had been living in the United States with her children for roughly five years.

She had been working as a cleaner and was saving money to return to Brazil. Her family is currently trying to raise the funds required to bring her body back home.

Her two children are currently being cared for by their brother-in-law.

The suspect is facing murder and assault charges.