Baby Samba Queen Finishes Last

7-year-old's breakdown knocks group down into 2nd division
By Jane Yager,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 18, 2010 2:12 AM CST
Baby Samba Queen Finishes Last
The pregnant drum corps queen of Unidos da Tijuca samba school performs during carnival celebrations at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro.   (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

The Brazilian samba group that sparked intense controversy by choosing a child as its sexy drum corps queen has finished the Rio de Janeiro carnival in last place. After 7-year-old Julia Lira broke down crying in the heat of the spotlight, Viradouro placed so badly in both the drum corps and float categories that it was knocked out of the first division of samba groups, BBC reports.

Unidos da Tijuca, the group that won the Carnival competition for the first time ever, was led by a 4-month-pregnant television announcer as its drum corps queen and also featured a Michael Jackson impersonator and skiers dressed like Batman.
(More Julia Lira stories.)

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