A 37-year-old woman has been arrested in Brazil after allegedly pretending to be a 12-year-old girl to deceive a couple who took her into their home for 14 months. The suspect, identified by local media as Amanda Maria Sousa Oliveira, posed as a child named 'Gabriele' and engaged in childlike behavior, including drinking from a baby bottle, to maintain the ruse.
How the Deception Unfolded
The bizarre case came to light when police apprehended the suspect at the family's residence in the Pirabeiraba district of Joinville, Brazil, on June 2. According to authorities, the suspect had attempted similar scams before. She used the alias 'Gabriele' and convinced a local family to take her in by claiming she had escaped abuse in the northern state of Para.
Investigators reported that the suspect initially approached a church in Joinville and told a pastor she had fled mistreatment. Church members began providing financial assistance and found her a place to stay before the family eventually welcomed her into their home. The couple developed an emotional bond with the suspect and treated her as their own child for approximately 14 months.
Justifying Her Adult Appearance
To explain her mature features, the 37-year-old claimed to be suffering from autism and other medical conditions. She allegedly told the family that she had been forced to take hormones as a child due to abuse, which she claimed resulted in her adult appearance. Detectives stated that the suspect adopted childlike behaviors, including using baby bottles, pacifiers (dummies), and a comfort blanket for sleep. She also feigned panic attacks during her time with the family.
The woman reportedly spoke in a high-pitched voice and acted emotionally dependent to gain attention and sympathy. The unsuspecting family even threw a 12th birthday party for her, paid for obesity medication, and considered formally adopting her. However, she consistently avoided discussions about official adoption procedures and never had identification documents on her.
Exposure and Arrest
The scam was exposed after a family member tipped off the police, sparking an investigation. Detective Rodrigo Bueno Gusso stated that the suspect persuaded the family not to enroll her in school by claiming her abusive father would find her. During questioning, the suspect confessed and was charged with fraud and false identity offenses before being taken to Joinville Regional Prison.
Previous Offenses
Police disclosed that she had previous records for similar scams in the states of Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and Goias. This included a 2023 case in Nova Iguacu where she allegedly posed as a 12-year-old girl named 'Maria Eduarda'. In that instance, she claimed to be autistic and said she had suffered abuse and witchcraft rituals, convincing a former city councillor and the head of a social project for vulnerable children to support her and even rent and furnish a home for her. Police revealed that she inserted up to 100 needles into her own body to corroborate the abuse story.
Although she was taken into custody in relation to the 2023 case, she was released the following day after a court granted her temporary freedom under precautionary measures. There are no records of a final sentence or trial verdict for her under the names mentioned. Due to her frequent relocations between various states using different false identities, her previous cases were still open or active at the time of her most recent arrest, rather than having resulted in a final conviction.
Following the latest incident, she is currently being held at the Joinville Regional Prison facing her present charges.
