A 38-year-old Brazilian woman has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after she reportedly convinced a couple that she was a 12-year-old girl and lived with them for more than a year.
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The woman, identified as Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, reportedly deceived the family by claiming she was a child who needed care and protection.
According to reports, Amanda maintained the false identity for approximately 14 months after being taken in by the couple, who reportedly treated her as their daughter.
To make the story believable, she reportedly claimed to have several medical conditions and even pretended to have a mental age similar to that of a child.
Amanda was also said to have pretended to be physically disabled and reportedly drank milk from baby bottles and used dummies and a comfort blanket.
She reportedly told the family that she had autism and other medical conditions, which she used to explain her adult appearance despite claiming to be 12 years old.
Amanda also reportedly claimed that she had been forced to take hormones as a child following abuse, saying this was responsible for her mature physical appearance.
According to reports, Amanda first approached a church in Joinville, Brazil, claiming that she had escaped an abusive situation in the northern state of Pará.
Members of the religious community reportedly offered her financial assistance and helped arrange accommodation before she was eventually taken in by the couple.
Police said Amanda remained with the family for about 14 months while maintaining the false identity.
During that period, she reportedly behaved like a young child, including using baby bottles and dummies. She was also accused of pretending to suffer panic attacks and speaking in a high-pitched voice.
The family reportedly became deeply attached to her and believed that she was a 12-year-old girl who needed their protection.
They reportedly celebrated what they believed was her 12th birthday, paid for medical treatment and even considered formally adopting her.
However, the deception was eventually uncovered, leading to Amanda’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.
She has now been sentenced to one year and six months in prison for fraud