38-year-old woman posed as 12-year-old girl for 14 months in Brazil
A 38-year-old woman lived for 14 months with a family in Joinville claiming to be a 12-year-old girl. She was convicted of fraud and identity theft.
Woman who disguised her voice and identity for over a year
A family in the Brazilian city of Joinville lived for 14 months believing they were caring for a 12-year-old girl named "Gabriele". The truth emerged only when police officers knocked on the door of the house, according to G4Media.
The woman hidden behind this identity was Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, aged 38. Throughout her stay with the adoptive family, Oliveira disguised her voice to appear like a child. When officers told her that "the show was over", the woman revealed her real tone — that of an adult.
The adoptive mother did not react with anger, but with surprise: "It must be a mistake," she stated at the moment of arrest.
Convicted in two states
Oliveira was tried and convicted of fraud and identity theft in the state of Santa Catarina. Similar accusations were brought in the state of Paraná. The sentence for fraud was set at one year, six months and ten days of imprisonment, and that for false identity — at four months and 18 days of detention.
Her lawyer, Lucio Sousa, argues that the woman did not obtain financial benefits as a result of the deception and that she invented the identity out of a need to survive.
Oliveira admitted to the deception, but denies the intention to harm anyone. "I lied, but I did not want to deceive anyone. I felt an emptiness in me, a need for affection," she stated.
A scenario repeated across multiple communities
According to investigators, this was not the first time Oliveira presented herself as a child. The woman allegedly repeated the scenario across multiple communities: whenever suspicions grew, she would disappear and resettle elsewhere under the same appearance.
In Joinville, she convinced the couple to forgo an official adoption, arguing that a violent father could have located her through official documents, according to lawyer Sarita de Paiva speaking to the Washington Post.
Suspicions arose after a few months, when a family member found information about the woman's past following an online search. Police were alerted and intervened. During the proceedings, lawyers also requested a psychiatric evaluation.
Source: G4Media