João Batista de Matos, aged 62, died after spending three days in hospital after being knocked off a bench in Carlópolis, in the North of Paraná.
His daughter, Eliany Marques de Matos, spoke to RPC, a TV Globo affiliate in Paraná, when she went to the Londrina Scientific Police to release her father's body for the wake and burial. For her, it is not possible to justify the attitude of the men who grabbed the furniture and ended up knocking the elderly man down.
"It's, inhumane, you know? They didn't need to do this to him. I just wanted my father to be here with us. And I want justice. That's all I hope for," said Eliany.
Ágatha Matos, the victim's niece, said she was unable to watch the images that show the moment João is knocked down. "He has some problems with his body, he used iron on his arm, in his mouth and everything, so one of his arms didn't work properly," he said.
In a statement, the Civil Police (PC-PR) said that, with the death of the victim, the fact is now being investigated as a possible homicide. "The investigation is ongoing to clarify whether there was possible intent or culpable homicide," the statement said.
What the image shows
João was sitting in front of a city market on Tuesday night (3). Security cameras recorded the moment when some people approached him. Then, two men lift the bench, while the elderly man is still sitting. With the movement, João falls to the floor, hitting his head.
The elderly man suffered head trauma and serious neck injuries. He was rescued, was hospitalized in Londrina, but did not survive his injuries and died in hospital.
The two men who erected the bench were arrested, but were released and remain free. In a statement, lawyer Ilton Inácio, who represents them, stated that there was no intention to harm or cause the death of the victim. He also highlighted that they remained at the scene and helped to help João.
Suspects reported responding to a neighbor's call for help
According to police, the suspects reported that they responded to a request for help from an employee at the neighboring market to remove the victim from the scene. The corporation reported that there are no records of previous disagreements between those involved.
The investigation continues to determine the motivation and how the action was carried out. The police also said that witnesses will be interviewed in the coming days, and analysis of the images and expert reports has already been scheduled.
What the defense says
"Initially, the defense expresses its most sincere sympathies to the victim's family and friends, recognizing the seriousness of what happened and deeply respecting the pain of everyone involved.
However, it is necessary to clarify that, according to the version presented by those investigated, at no time was there any intention to attack, hurt or cause any harm to the victim, much less cause his death.
The two young people work at a motorcycle taxi stop located near a supermarket. As they reported to the defense, they went to respond to a request from an employee of the establishment to remove a bank from the premises. During the movement of the aforementioned bench, unfortunately, the victim fell.
The defense highlights that there are video images related to the incident, the analysis of which could contribute to clarifying the dynamics of the facts.
Another important point is that, according to the version presented by those investigated, they did not flee the scene after the incident. On the contrary, they remained present, helped with the rescue and even helped to place the victim in the ambulance.
The young people are primary workers, have a fixed residence and family ties, and deeply regret the consequences of the episode.
It should be noted that the defense submitted a request for provisional release in favor of both, which was granted by the Court, allowing them to respond to the procedure in freedom, in compliance with court orders.
The court decision does not represent the closure of the investigations or a definitive judgment on the facts, but it ensures those under investigation to exercise their constitutional right to defense.
Lawyer Ilton Inácio emphasizes that the defense trusts in the work of the authorities responsible for the investigation and reaffirms its commitment to clarifying the truth, through a careful analysis of all the evidence.
The pain of the victim's family deserves absolute respect. Likewise, the responsibility of those being investigated must be determined calmly, without early judgments and in compliance with due legal process and the presumption of innocence."
