Court Revokes Pre-Trial Detention for Suspect in Police Officer's Poisoning Death

A court has revoked the pre-trial detention of Helen Kelly de Lima Pedrosa, who is suspected of involvement in the death of military police officer José Maria Alexandre da Silva Júnior. The 40-year-old officer died in June after falling ill at Pedrosa's apartment in Boa Viagem, Recife. Authorities suspect poisoning was the cause of death. Pedrosa herself is hospitalized in serious condition at the Hospital da Restauração after allegedly jumping from the fourth floor of a building while police executed search and arrest warrants. The judge, Anna Paula Borges Coutinho, granted the release based on a request from the defense and the favorable opinion of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Pernambuco. The court cited that the search and seizure had been completed and electronic devices collected, thus eliminating the risk of interference with the investigation. Furthermore, given Pedrosa's critical health status, the risk of flight was deemed minimal. She must adhere to several precautionary measures, including attending all court proceedings, maintaining no contact with the victim's family or witnesses, not leaving the judicial district for more than five days without authorization, keeping her address updated, and wearing an electronic monitoring device once medically cleared. The court also ordered the removal of police escort from the hospital and informed the electronic monitoring agency. The defense claims Pedrosa had a restraining order against the officer due to domestic violence and that he had been persistently seeking contact prior to his death. The investigation is ongoing as a "death to be clarified."