Heart, kiss and tears: see Monique Medeiros' reaction after sentence
Monique Medeiros was moved when interacting with family members after the end of the trial in the Henry Borel case, concluded in the early hours of this Thursday (4), at the II Jury Court of Rio de Janeiro.
Video and images recorded after the sentence was read show Henry's mother crying in the plenary. In the recording, Monique waves to family members, makes a heart gesture with her hands and sends kisses to the people waiting for her.
https://admin.cnnbrasil.com.br/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2026/06/reacao-monique.mp4
The interaction took place shortly after judge Elizabeth Machado Louro announced the decision of the Sentencing Council and handed down the sentence in the case, ending a trial that lasted 11 days and went down in history as the longest ever held by the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro.
Monique had the charge of intentional homicide downgraded to manslaughter by the jurors. She was also convicted of omission in the face of the torture suffered by Henry.
In relation to manslaughter, the judge granted judicial pardon. The sentence set for the remaining crime was considered served due to the period of preventive detention.
During the trial, Monique gave testimony to the Jury Court and, for the first time, attributed responsibility to Jairinho for the attacks that resulted in her son's death. At different times during the sessions, she also cried while watching testimonies, videos and arguments from the parties.
Conviction of Dr. Jairinho
In the same trial, former councilor Jairo Souza Santos Júnior, known as Dr. Jairinho, was sentenced in the early hours of this Thursday (4) to 43 years, 9 months and 20 days in prison for the death of the boy Henry Borel, aged 4. The decision was announced by judge Elizabeth Machado Louro after 11 days of trial at the II Rio de Janeiro Jury Court.
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The 11th day of the trial over the death of Henry Borel ended in the early hours of Thursday (4). - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Former councilor Jairo Souza Santos Júnior, known as Jairinho, was sentenced to 43 years, 9 months and 20 days in prison for the death of Henry Borel, aged 4. - Flickr/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros, the child's mother, was convicted of omission in the face of the torture suffered by her son and received a sentence of 1 year and 4 months in detention. - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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According to the Court, her sentence has already been served and she received a judicial pardon for the crime of manslaughter. - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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The families of the accused followed the 11 days of trial. - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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During the indictment, the Public Prosecutor's Office showed videos and images of Henry alongside his father, Leniel Borel, including records of the child's last images in the playground of a condominium during the last weekend before his death. - Fickr/TJRJ
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Monique reunites with her family. - CNN Brasil
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Leniel remained seated after the sentencing. - CNN Brasil
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From this, Jairinho's defense maintained that Leniel had found an opportunity to harm the former councilor and hold him responsible for subsequent events. - CNN Brasil
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The jurors found Jairinho guilty of double homicide and one of the crimes of torture attributed to him during the process. - CNN Brasil
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Monique's lawyers showed videos of the child with her mother and argued that she had been a victim of gender-based violence and an abusive relationship. - CNN Brasil
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During the trial, Monique accused Jairinho for the first time for her son's death. - CNN Brasil
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Jairinho during the trial of the Henry Borel case - Disclosure/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Henry Borel: Jairinho is sentenced to 43 years and Monique receives pardon - Photos: Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Henry Borel: Jairinho is sentenced to 43 years and Monique receives pardon - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Rafael Oliveira/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Rafael Oliveira/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros' family celebrates forgiveness - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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Monique Medeiros was forgiven for the death of her son Henry Borel - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
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The images recorded in the plenary session show the moment in which the judge read the sentence that condemned Jairinho for qualified homicide, torture and coercion during the process.
The trial is considered the longest in the history of the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice.
Henry Borel: Jairinho is sentenced to 43 years and Monique receives a pardon - Photos: Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
During the reading of the decision, the judge stated that the former councilor acted with "disproportionate violence" and demonstrated "rare and disproportionate cowardice" against a child of just four years old.
In the sentence, he also described Jairinho as a person capable of hiding his true personality behind an image of cordiality.
Henry Borel: Jairinho is sentenced to 43 years and Monique receives pardon - Brunno Dantas/TJRJ
In addition to the sentence in an initially closed regime, the former councilor was ordered to pay R$400,000 for moral damages to Henry's father, Leniel Borel.
Monique Medeiros, the child's mother, had the charge of intentional homicide downgraded to manslaughter. The jurors recognized their responsibility for omission in the face of the attacks suffered by their son, and the judge applied judicial forgiveness in relation to the manslaughter. For the crime of torture by omission, the fixed sentence was considered served due to the period of preventive detention.
The trial ends a process that began after the death of Henry Borel, in March 2021, a case that generated wide national repercussions and led to the creation of the so-called Henry Borel Law, aimed at strengthening the protection of children and adolescents who are victims of domestic violence.
Nevertheless, although the trial of the Henry Borel case has come to an end in the first instance, the process can still be analyzed by the Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro if appeals are presented by the parties.
Source: CNN