Monique Medeiros received judicial pardon last Thursday (June 4) in her son’s death trial
The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, (PSD), confirmed in a post on his social networks this Thursday (June 4, 2026) that he will maintain the dismissal of Monique Medeiros, mother of the boy Henry Borel, from the city hall staff. Cavaliere maintained the decision even after the court, earlier on the same day, pardoned Monique for her conviction for manslaughter.
Monique and her husband, former Rio councilor Jairo Souza Santos Júnior, known as Dr. Jairinho, were accused by the MP-RJ (Rio de Janeiro Public Prosecutor’s Office) for the death of Monique’s son, 4-year-old Henry Borel, in March 2021. The autopsy report showed that Henry had injuries compatible with beating, internal bleeding and liver laceration caused by blunt action.
Jairinho was sentenced to 43 years, 9 months and 20 days in prison for the death. Monique was convicted only for omission in the face of the torture inflicted on her son, with a sentence of 1 year and 4 months in prison, already considered served.
Monique was removed from her position as municipal teacher in Rio de Janeiro on January 24, 2023, based on art. 186 of Law No. 94 of the Statute of Public Employees of Rio. In March 2026, she was definitively dismissed from the Department of Education.
In the published note, Cavaliere criticized the court’s decision to pardon Monique, stating that he will not measure “efforts to ensure that this former employee never returns to the City Hall staff. […] May she continue her life with dignified and honest work. But far from the municipal classrooms”.
