Brazil Woman, 37, Pretended To Be 12-Year-Old Autistic Girl To Get Free Home: How She Was Caught

A 37-year-old woman pretended to be a 12-year-old autistic girl to trick a family into giving her a place to live, in an extraordinary deception that lasted more than a year. Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, now 38, has been jailed for fraud over the bizarre case in Brazil, after authorities discovered she had committed similar scams across the country.

How She Pulled Off The Deception

Oliveira carried a doll, used a pacifier and drank from a baby bottle in her bid to convince an evangelical church-going couple in Joinville, Santa Catarina, that she was vulnerable and in need of help, Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo reported. She explained away her adult physique by claiming it was the result of hormones forced on her by her parents in early childhood, police said per BBC Brasil. In footage of Oliveira's eventual arrest after the scam unravelled, she was seen wearing a Minnie Mouse t-shirt and hairband. Who Is Jayme Franklin? Meet the 'Mystery' Woman Seen With Donald Trump in Viral White House Video.

Lived With Couple For 14 Months As 'Gabriele'

The ruse took place in 2025 when Oliveira began attending a church in Joinville, initially presenting herself as an 18-year-old looking for work. The local pastor introduced her to a middle-aged couple at the church, who took pity on her and invited her to stay with them. Presenting herself as "Gabriele," Oliveira pretended to be a severely autistic girl, police said. For 14 months, she lived with the couple with all her expenses paid, a bedroom decorated with toys, and even a party to celebrate her "12th birthday." She also convinced them to pay for a course of weight-loss drugs. US: Newlywed Woman Left Heartbroken After Army Veteran Husband Dies by Suicide Day After ‘Perfect’ Honeymoon, Months Later Receives Flowers He Ordered Before Death (Watch Video).

Aunt's Suspicion Cracked The Case

It was her adoptive aunt who uncovered the fraud after becoming suspicious of Oliveira's story. After searching online, she found reports of a similar case in Rio de Janeiro three years earlier. Police eventually discovered that Oliveira had used the same elaborate tactics on families in several other states, including Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul, and Goias, changing her name each time.

Similar Scam In Rio Targeted Two Women In 2023

Social project director Viviane Henriques and nutritionist Renata Magalhaes were previous victims, having been scammed for a month in Rio de Janeiro in 2023. Then 34 years old, Oliveira called herself "Duda," a teenager who claimed to have escaped abuse from a witch doctor father who had forced her into prostitution. The women rented a small apartment for her and gave her love, affection and food until their suspicions grew and they went to the police. "People find it absurd to believe," Henriques said, adding that Oliveira looked like a teenager, always wore a coat and hood, claimed to have autism, and spoke in a childlike way.

Investigators Suspect More Victims

Police reportedly found searches on Oliveira's phone about how an autistic person behaves. Investigator Rodrigo Gusso said the case stemmed from the woman's high power of persuasion and empathy, adding that there could be new, undiscovered victims given how long she had allegedly been running the scam.

Court Rejects Mental Illness Defence

During her arrest, Oliveira reportedly dropped the act immediately and spoke to officers in her normal, adult voice. "It is clear that I deceived people; I lied. But I did not intend to scam anyone," she later told them, as reported by The Times. A judge in Santa Catarina rejected her defence that she was mentally ill and therefore not criminally responsible, concluding that she had acted deliberately and consciously. She has now been convicted of fraud and sentenced to a year-and-a-half in prison.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2026 03:54 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).