Woman Posed as Abused Child to Defraud Family for 14 Months

A 37-year-old Brazilian woman has been arrested for a complex 14-month scam where she impersonated a 12-year-old abused child with autism to gain the trust and resources of a family.

Operating under the alias "Gabriel," the woman, identified as Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, manipulated the family into adopting her. She feigned the use of baby bottles and pacifiers, and claimed to suffer from night terrors. To explain her apparent lack of aging, she told the family she had been subjected to forced hormone treatments and abuse as a child.

Experts in psychiatry and criminal psychology described Oliveira's actions as factitious disorder, a condition where individuals fabricate symptoms to assume the sick role and gain sympathy. Her elaborate deception, including gaslighting tactics, unraveled when a relative of the victim family investigated online. The relative discovered Oliveira had a criminal record for similar scams in seven different Brazilian states.

Authorities apprehended Oliveira on June 3rd. She has confessed to all charges. Her defense team has requested a psychiatric evaluation, which the court has granted, temporarily suspending legal proceedings until the results are available.