Police in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina recently reported one of the most bizarre identity fraud cases in its entire history. A 37-year-old woman was discovered impersonating a 12-year-old girl with a history of abuse in an attempt to convince a local family to adopt her. An investigation found that the woman was a repeat offender who had previously impersonated minors in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Minas Gerais.

Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira reportedly started her elaborate identity fraud by tricking the pastor of a church in Joinville, the largest city in Santa Catarina, that she was a 12-year-old girl named Gabriela who had run off from an abusive family in the state of Pará. After successfully gaining the trust of the pastor and members of his congregation, she not only received financial assistance but was also referred to a local family who took her in.

During her time with her new family, the 37-year-old woman deliberately maintained a childlike image, drinking milk out of a baby bottle, using a pacifier to relax, and even requesting a comfort blanket to fall asleep at night. She also spoke in a high-pitched voice and faked night terrors to make her new parents believe that she was truly a “child who needed to be taken care of.”

Many wondered how the family fell for Amanda’s lies, considering that she actually looked her real age, if not older. However, the 37-year-old woman had an explanation for that as well. She claimed to have been forced to take hormones as a child, which had had an effect on her physical appearance, and also that years of abuse from her father had taken a toll on her.

The family believed everything Amanda told them, and they showered her with love. They threw her a 12th birthday party, paid for obesity medication, and planned to legally adopt her. They never suspected foul play, but the people around them did, and one relative actually reported the case to the police and asked them to look into the girl’s history.

It was eventually discovered that 12-year-old Gabriela was actually a 37-year-old adult woman who had pulled similar stunts in different parts of Brazil, living off of families who felt sorry for her. In 2023, she impersonated a 12-year-old girl and claimed to have been subjected to witchcraft rituals. To convince people that she was a victim, she inserted around 100 metal needles into her skin.

The suspect reportedly confessed during her interrogation and was charged with fraud and identity theft, and was subsequently transferred to Joinville Prison. Her attorney has requested a psychiatric evaluation, suggesting that Amanda might be suffering from a mental illness and is not fully responsible for her actions.