My son still has not had justice
Em março de 2026, o Tribunal de Justiça do Rio de Janeiro deveria abrir as portas para o julgamento de um dos casos de violência infantil mais dolorosos da história recente do Brasil. A morte de Henry Borel, de quatro anos, em 2021, não apenas destruiu uma família — ela moveu o país a reescrever suas leis de proteção à infância. Mas antes que o júri pudesse deliberar, a defesa do ex-vereador Jairinho pediu adiamento, invocando o direito ao tempo — enquanto do lado de fora, o pai de Henry invocava o direito à justiça.
- A defesa de Jairinho chegou ao tribunal não para enfrentar o julgamento, mas para impedi-lo, alegando que provas armazenadas em um computador chegaram tarde demais para análise adequada.
- A acusação respondeu com dureza, classificando as manobras como protelatórias e ameaçando pedir multa à defesa — enquanto afirmava que as evidências de tortura são irrefutáveis.
- A co-ré Monique Medeiros, mãe de Henry, tem sua própria defesa apontando o dedo diretamente para Jairinho, transformando o banco dos réus em um campo de acusações cruzadas.
- Do lado de fora do fórum, Leniel Borel, pai de Henry, rodeado por familiares de outras vítimas da violência doméstica, lembrou ao país que seu filho ainda espera por justiça.
- Os sete jurados convocados para decidir o caso aguardavam — primeiro na porta do tribunal, depois em silêncio — enquanto o rito jurídico se desenrolava ao redor de uma criança que não pode mais falar por si mesma.
Na manhã de uma segunda-feira de março de 2026, o Palácio da Justiça do Rio de Janeiro deveria ser o palco do julgamento de Jairinho — o ex-vereador acusado de matar Henry Borel, de quatro anos, em 2021. Em vez disso, seu advogado Zazone Júnior chegou com um pedido de adiamento, argumentando que a defesa não tivera tempo suficiente para analisar o conteúdo de um computador pertencente a Leniel Borel, pai da criança. Sem acesso pleno às provas, dizia ele, qualquer julgamento seria prematuro.
A promotoria não aceitou o argumento. O assistente de acusação Cristiano Medina foi direto: as provas são irrefutáveis, e Jairinho teria torturado Henry de forma cruel na madrugada de 8 de março. Medina anunciou que pediria ao juiz que multasse a defesa caso a manobra protelatória fosse adiante.
No mesmo banco dos réus, Monique Medeiros — mãe de Henry e ex-companheira de Jairinho — enfrenta acusações como co-ré. Mas sua defesa traçou um caminho diferente: a advogada Florence Rosa argumentou que Monique era ela própria uma vítima, presa em um relacionamento abusivo, e que a responsabilidade pela morte do menino recai exclusivamente sobre Jairinho. A estratégia dividiu publicamente os dois lados da defesa.
Do lado de fora do fórum, Leniel Borel aguardava rodeado por familiares de outras vítimas da violência doméstica. Ele citou casos que já chegaram a um desfecho — o julgamento de Flordelis, a morte da pequena Vitória — e disse com clareza: seu filho ainda não teve justiça.
A morte de Henry em 2021 havia sacudido o Brasil inteiro. O menino chegou a um hospital na zona oeste do Rio com lesões por todo o corpo, e o caso rapidamente se tornou símbolo de uma falha coletiva na proteção das crianças. O Congresso respondeu aprovando a Lei Henry Borel, que reclassificou o homicídio de crianças menores de quatorze anos como crime hediondo, com penas de doze a trinta anos, e criou medidas protetivas de urgência inspiradas na Lei Maria da Penha. Uma criança morta tornou-se alicerce de uma nova arquitetura legal.
Os sete jurados convocados para o julgamento esperaram — primeiro na porta do tribunal, depois em silêncio dentro dele — enquanto advogados debatiam procedimentos e prazos. A justiça, como tantas vezes, chegaria mais devagar do que a dor.
On a Monday morning in March 2026, the courtroom doors of Rio de Janeiro's Palace of Justice were supposed to open on one of Brazil's most scrutinized cases of child violence. Instead, the defense team for Jairo Souza Santos Júnior—the ex-councilman known as Jairinho—arrived with a request to stop the proceedings before they could begin. His lawyer, Zazone Júnior, announced he would ask the judge to postpone the jury trial, claiming his team had not been given adequate time to review the full contents of the case file. The trial was meant to determine whether Jairinho bore responsibility for the death of Henry Borel, a four-year-old boy who died in 2021 from injuries sustained in his home.
Henry's mother, Monique Medeiros da Costa e Silva, sits in the dock alongside Jairinho as a co-defendant. But her defense team has taken a different approach. Her lawyer, Florence Rosa, argued that Monique was herself a victim—trapped in an abusive relationship—and that the true perpetrator was Jairinho alone. The strategy amounts to a public fracturing of the defense, with one defendant's lawyers pointing directly at the other.
The specific complaint from Jairinho's legal team centered on access to evidence stored on a computer belonging to Leniel Borel, Henry's father. Zazone argued that while the judge had tried to expedite the process by granting the defense access to materials, the information arrived too late for proper review. To proceed with the trial under these conditions, he suggested, would mean his client faced judgment without his lawyers having full knowledge of the evidence against him. The prosecution's assistant, Cristiano Medina, countered sharply. He said he would ask the judge to fine the defense if this delay tactic went forward. "The evidence in this case is irrefutable," Medina stated. "There is no doubt that Jairo, in the early morning hours of March 8th, tortured Henry Borel in a cruel manner."
Outside the courthouse, a different kind of testimony was unfolding. Leniel Borel, Henry's father, stood surrounded by family members of other victims of violent death. Among them was Sonia Fátima Moura, whose daughter Eliza Samudio was killed years earlier. Leniel spoke of cases that had already reached resolution—the trial of Flordelis, the death of a child named Vitória—cases that had become emblematic in Brazil's reckoning with domestic violence. "My son still has not had justice," he said.
The death of Henry Borel in 2021 had reverberated far beyond the courtroom. The four-year-old arrived at a hospital in Rio's west zone with multiple injuries across his body. The case became national news and catalyzed legislative action. Congress passed the Henry Borel Law, a sweeping reform that expanded protections for children subjected to violence in their homes. The law reclassified homicide of children under fourteen as a heinous crime, carrying sentences of twelve to thirty years imprisonment. It also created urgent protective measures modeled on Brazil's Maria da Penha Law, which had long governed domestic violence cases involving adults. In this way, a child's death became the foundation for a new legal architecture meant to prevent others like it.
The jury itself—seven citizens drawn to serve—had already experienced delays simply entering the building. Some waited nearly half an hour at the courthouse doors before gaining access. Now they would wait longer still, their role suspended while lawyers argued about procedure and evidence, while one defendant's team blamed another, and while a father stood outside speaking the names of children who had not lived to grow up.
Notable Quotes
The evidence in this case is irrefutable. There is no doubt that Jairo, in the early morning hours of March 8th, tortured Henry Borel in a cruel manner.— Cristiano Medina, prosecution assistant
My son still has not had justice, even as other emblematic cases in Brazil have already been resolved.— Leniel Borel, Henry's father
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would a defense team request a delay just as the trial is about to start? Doesn't that look like an admission of guilt?
Not necessarily. The claim is procedural—they're saying they can't mount a proper defense without access to all the evidence. Whether that's a genuine problem or a stalling tactic is what the judge has to decide. But you're right that it creates an impression.
And the mother's defense is blaming the ex-councilman entirely? That seems like they've already conceded something.
It does. Her lawyer is essentially saying Monique was a victim of abuse herself, which is a different kind of culpability than what Jairinho faces. It's a way of acknowledging something happened in that home without accepting equal responsibility.
What does the Henry Borel Law actually change for cases like this?
It made killing a child under fourteen a heinous crime instead of a regular homicide. That means longer sentences—twelve to thirty years instead of what might have been less. It also created emergency protective orders for children, similar to what existed for adult domestic violence victims.
So this case didn't just end in a courtroom. It changed the law.
Exactly. A child's death became the reason an entire country rewrote how it protects children in their own homes. That's why Leniel Borel standing outside the courthouse matters—he's not just seeking justice for Henry. He's part of a larger reckoning.