Foster Family Took in ’12-Year-Old Girl’, Then Learned Her Shocking Secret

A woman in her late 30s has been convicted after authorities say she posed as a 12-year-old girl and lived with a foster family for more than a year.

Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira was convicted Thursday, Aug. 20, in Joinville, Santa Catarina, Brazil, on fraud and false identity charges, according to the Court of Justice of Santa Catarina.

Authorities said Oliveira pretended to be a 12-year-old girl with a history of abuse and health problems.

A local family took her in and treated her like a daughter.

For the next 14 months, they provided her with housing, food, medication and other care.

The court said Oliveira benefited financially because the family paid for her living expenses during the time she stayed with them.

Judges also considered what they described as the emotional and family impact of the deception.

Oliveira eventually admitted to authorities that she had lied about both her age and her identity.

She was sentenced to approximately 18 months in prison, followed by about five months of detention under a semi-open prison regime.

According to The Washington Post, Oliveira went by the name “Gabriel” while living with the family.

She reportedly first came into contact with the family in 2023 after reaching out to a local organization that helps vulnerable children.

At the time, she allegedly spoke in a high-pitched, childlike voice and claimed she had escaped an abusive situation.

Authorities said the scheme eventually began to unravel when people around her noticed inconsistencies in her story.

Investigators also alleged that Oliveira had carried out similar deceptions in other parts of Brazil in previous years.

She reportedly claimed she had autism and had been given hormones, which she said explained why she appeared older than 12.

One of her attorneys, Lúcio Sousa, described Oliveira as a “vulnerable person” who had previously lived on the streets.

He also argued that the family did not suffer a financial loss while she lived with them.

Following the conviction, Oliveira’s legal team said it disagreed with the ruling and planned to appeal.

Her attorneys said they would continue fighting to prove her innocence.

The case has drawn widespread attention because of the unusual allegation at its center: an adult woman allegedly spending more than a year convincing a family that she was a child in need of care.