Woman from Brazil sentenced for fraud after claiming to be a girl with autism

Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, a 37-year-old woman from Brazil, was sentenced to one and a half years in prison for fraud after claiming to be a 12-year-old autistic girl. She managed to convince a family from Joinville, Santa Catarina, to take her into their home, using a doll, a pacifier, and a baby bottle. Oliveira claimed that her adult appearance was the result of hormones administered by her parents during childhood. After 14 months living with the family, being celebrated on her birthday and having all expenses paid, the fraud was discovered by her adoptive aunt, who found information about similar cases. Authorities discovered that Oliveira had used the same tactics to deceive families from other states, changing her name each time.

Although she claimed she did not intend to deceive, the judge rejected her defense regarding mental health. The case has drawn comparisons to the Natalia Grace case, a Ukrainian orphan accused of posing as a child in the United States.