- A 37-year-old woman in Brazil pretended to be a 12-year-old autistic abuse victim to gain adoption.
- Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira lived with a family for over a year using a fake identity.
- The scheme unraveled when a suspicious relative discovered her true age and previous scams.
JOINVILLE, BRAZIL — Months after a Brazil jury acquitted a mother who killed her boyfriend to save her daughter, another unusual case involving a child abuse claim is drawing attention in Brazil. This time, police say a 37-year-old woman pretended to be a 12-year-old autistic abuse victim and convinced a family to begin adopting her.
Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira is accused of pretending to be a girl named Gabrielle. Authorities say she spent more than a year living with a family in Santa Catarina while allegedly using a fake identity and a false abuse story to gain sympathy, shelter, and financial support.
Woman Allegedly Claimed She Was a Runaway Child
Investigators said Oliveira began the scheme by walking into a church in Joinville and telling a pastor she was a runaway child.
She allegedly claimed she had fled an abusive home in Pará and needed help.
Members of the church began supporting her financially. She was later connected with a local family, who believed she was a vulnerable child and took her in.
Family Planned to Adopt Her
Over the next 14 months, the family reportedly cared for Oliveira as if she were a child.
Authorities say she drank from a baby bottle, used a pacifier, slept with a comfort cloth, and pretended to have night terrors. She also allegedly claimed that abuse and forced hormone treatments had made her look much older than her age.
The family paid for her medication and even planned a 12th birthday party for her.
One family member later said they gave her affection, food, and love and had no reason at first to suspect she was lying.
Suspicious Relative Uncovered the Truth
The case began to unravel when a relative became suspicious and searched online for similar stories.
That relative reportedly found that the person the family believed was a 12-year-old girl was actually a 37-year-old woman who had allegedly been tied to similar scams in several Brazilian states.
Police were contacted and arrested Oliveira at the family’s home on June 3.
After her arrest, investigators said Oliveira admitted to the scheme and confessed that she had used similar stories with other families.
Needles Found in Her Body in Earlier Case
Reports said Oliveira had previously contacted a volunteer in Rio de Janeiro in 2023, claiming she had been abused and needed help.
When she arrived in person, the volunteer said Oliveira appeared to be an autistic teenager and spoke like a child.
That situation reportedly ended after volunteers discovered needles protruding through her skin and arranged medical testing. Doctors later found more than 200 needles in her body.
Investigators believe Oliveira inserted the needles herself to make her abuse claims seem more believable.
Charged With Fraud and Identity Theft
Police say Oliveira repeatedly presented herself as a child fleeing abuse, sex trafficking, or religious cults. She allegedly used fake names and childlike behavior to persuade families, churches, and volunteers to help her.
Authorities said she had also been convicted of false identity offenses in Goiás and had not yet served that sentence.
Oliveira is now charged with fraud and identity theft. She is being held at Joinville Women’s Prison while awaiting trial.
A judge also approved a request for a psychiatric evaluation after her defense argued that her mental health may be a factor in the case.
To view more cases involving shocking fraud, false identities, and bizarre criminal schemes, check out our video here:
