A family experienced heartbreak after adopting a girl they thought was 12 years old, only to discover after 14 months that she was allegedly a 37-year-old woman involved in multiple similar incidents. The couple had provided costly medications for conditions the woman claimed to have due to childhood abuse.
The woman, Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, reportedly approached people by fabricating stories of abuse and seeking help. She pretended to be a victim of violence, forced prostitution, and mistreatment to gain sympathy and financial support.
Authorities revealed that Amanda deceived families, churches, and social workers by assuming childlike behaviors, such as using baby items and exhibiting emotionally dependent conduct associated with children. The recent case came to light when police apprehended Amanda at a couple’s home in Joinville, Santa Catarina state, where she had posed as their adopted daughter.
After suspicions arose about needles protruding from Amanda’s body, medical tests revealed she had over 200 needles inside her. Subsequent X-ray images confirmed this, leading to the discovery of her true age and the alleged deception.
Amanda confessed to posing as a child in various cities, prompting investigators to uncover her involvement in similar incidents across Brazil. She had faced prior detentions over comparable allegations but was released, utilizing the same tactics in multiple locations across seven Brazilian states.
A court in Goias convicted Amanda of false identity offenses, and although she has not served her sentence, authorities requested her preventive detention pending a psychiatric evaluation. The judge granted this request, ordering Amanda to remain in custody at Joinville Women’s Prison for the assessment to clarify the case’s circumstances.