[1][2] She was adopted following the deaths of her parents, and was noted for aiding in household chores and attending Mass on a regular basis.

In 1942, da Silva was murdered after rejecting the sexual advances of Raimundo Alves Riberio, who was around her age, in order to protect herself as being chaste as she desired.

[1] There are no photographs of her, but contemporaries have said that Benigna was of medium height and was slender in addition to having a rounded face and a thin chin.

[2][3] In 1941 when she was twelve Raimundo Alves Riberio – known as Raul, who was around her age – approached her sexually, though she rejected each of his advances.

The police apprehended those considered to be suspects, including Cirineu; these individuals were released after Riberio was arrested.

Riberio served his sentence in prison and then in 1991 returned to the scene of the crime, where he expressed his regret at having murdered Benigna.

[1] This news was received in Crato just a couple of weeks later, therefore allowing the diocese to initiate a diocesan process to investigate her life, in addition to the circumstances surrounding her death, in order to ascertain if she died "in defensum castitatis" (if she died to protect herself as a chaste virgin during the attack).