Brazilian courts protect victims of parental abuse and neglect

A São Paulo court acknowledged that Heloísa Rodrigues, a 28‑year‑old biomedical scientist, endured sexual abuse, abandonment attempts and neglect by her mother and maternal grandparents. The judge ordered the removal of the maternal surnames "Alves Duque" from her birth certificate but refused to erase the legal maternal filiation, citing the principle that a mother’s identity must remain recorded.

In a separate case in Canguçu, Rio Grande do Sul, a judge kept two young siblings, ages five and two, in the custody of their maternal grandparents after police investigations revealed severe parental neglect, unsanitary living conditions and lack of vaccination. Contact with the parents was suspended pending further technical evaluation, and child‑protection agencies were tasked with ongoing monitoring of the children’s welfare.