The 'Double Death' of Danaa
Title: The 'Double Death' of Danaa
Content: The 'double death' of Danaa
By: Nasif Joomratty
Date: Sunday, October 19, 2025 - 6:00 PM
An image depicting a serene landscape, symbolizing tragedy and loss, devoid of people.
In a shocking case that has shaken Mauritius, the femicide of 25-year-old Danaa Laeticia Malabar revealed a narrative far removed from the apparent camaraderie portrayed by a popular TikTok couple. Behind the smiles and filters lay a harrowing tale of control and violence, culminating in a chilling digital staging of a crime.
At first glance, the story seemed ordinary in the endless stream of TikTok videos: a young couple radiating happiness and sharing intimate moments online. With 33,000 followers for Brandon Malabar and 28,000 for his wife Danaa Laeticia, they represented a lifestyle that captivated thousands of internet users. However, beneath the cheerful facade lay a silent torment and a concealed crime meticulously staged.
For six years, Brandon and Danaa Laeticia presented themselves as a creative couple adored by social media. Brandon, a football and music enthusiast working as a mason, had established a significant presence on TikTok through various profiles. Danaa, from Eau-Coulée, had moved to Beau-Vallon to be with him. Their content showcased their bond: love songs, dance routines, couple challenges, and family moments with their child, turning every visited place into a backdrop for their videos. Posting on TikTok became a daily habit.
Their picturesque digital life charmed viewers, who complimented them on the happiness they exuded onscreen. Brandon's popularity soared with each video, even catching the attention of the media.
Yet, this image of the "perfect couple" scarcely mirrored reality. This polished narrative, tailored for algorithms, concealed a closed door of domination and fear. Danaa, always smiling, hid her suffering in silence. Suspicions of Brandon's infidelity, having become popular and flaunting a young rival, plagued her. This situation led to repeated conflicts. "He frequently beat her. But she was afraid to report the abuse to the police. She had bruises," shared an aunt.
Danaa had taken refuge at her mother’s home in Eau-Coulée weeks before the tragedy, hoping to "turn the page". A friend recounted: "She had been beaten, she was tired. But she still wanted to give him another chance." Brandon refused to let her leave, bombarding her with messages demanding her return and accusing her of "breaking the family". On TikTok, he continued to post sentimental videos, sometimes recorded after arguments, playing on emotional strings. And Danaa returned to him, time and again.
On Sunday, October 12, after yet another reconciliation, Danaa left her mother’s house to be with Brandon. Three days later, she was found dead.
While Danaa lay lifeless, Brandon posted a video on TikTok announcing her disappearance. Clearly shaken, he urged viewers to share his video and help him find his wife. "I don’t feel well at all, thanks to anyone who will help me with this service," he stated in the recording.
What followed appears to be a calculated orchestration. In the hours that followed, Brandon was highly active, posting numerous live videos, claiming to participate in the search. He commented on users' posts, soliciting assistance to "find" his wife. He played the role of the distraught husband before hundreds of thousands.
The videos went viral, shared extensively by viewers. The police issued a missing person alert. Meanwhile, Danaa remained hidden, lifeless, in an abandoned house.
The deception would not last long. Inconsistencies in his statements and behavior on TikTok caught the attention of investigators, already intrigued by his history of violence. On Wednesday, October 15, Brandon confessed to the murder and led police to the body. He admitted to stabbing Danaa twice and leaving her to bleed out.
By killing Danaa, Brandon Malabar took her life once. But he killed her a second time by manipulating public opinion, appropriating her story, reducing her to a mere absence in the narrative he constructed to absolve himself.
While he played the desperate husband mourning the disappearance of the woman he had just killed, Danaa existed only as a puzzle to be solved, a prop for the emotional performance of her murderer. Her intimacy, suffering, and attempts to escape her torment had all vanished behind the facade.
Vanessa, Danaa's mother, devastated, struggles to understand how her daughter fell into the trap of a man who was destroying her while publicly exposing their private life on social media. "I told her to stop going to him. She kept saying, 'Mom, he will change.'"
Danaa Laeticia Malabar was 25 years old. She was killed twice: once by the knife, and again by the manipulation of the man who took her from the world.