A 37-year-old woman was arrested this Tuesday (2) for Civil Police of Santa Catarina for pretending to be 12 years old and getting help from a family, where she was treated as an adopted daughter.
After claiming to have suffered abuse in Pará, the suspect, identified as Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira, found shelter for more than a year in the house located in the district of Pirabeiraba, in Joinville.
The arrest in the act was made by police officers from the 6th Police Station of Joinville. The woman is suspected of embezzlement and false identity. She was found in the victims’ home, where she had lived for 14 months.
She was placed under preventive detention after undergoing a custody hearing.
In the same decision, the Court accepted the defense’s request for mental health examinations to be carried out.
The report attempted to contact lawyer Rafael Luiz Siewert, responsible for Amanda’s defense, by telephone on Wednesday afternoon, but did not receive a response at the time of writing this text.
According to the police, the woman used the false name “Gabriele” and justified her physical appearance by claiming to be autistic. She also said that she had been forced to use hormones during her childhood.
For delegate Rodrigo Gusso, responsible for the investigation, the case reveals the woman’s “high power of persuasion and empathy”.
She was placed under preventive detention after undergoing a custody hearing.
In the same decision, the Court accepted the defense’s request for mental health examinations to be carried out.
The report attempted to contact lawyer Rafael Luiz Siewert, responsible for Amanda’s defense, by telephone on Wednesday afternoon, but did not receive a response at the time of writing this text.
When the police arrived at the residence, they found a situation that demonstrated the degree of involvement created by the woman. She had her own room, received care from her family and was treated like a daughter.
“The emotional bond was very strong. The family really believed they were welcoming a teenager in a vulnerable situation,” said Gusso.
The relationship reached the point where the family organized a party to celebrate what would have been the young woman’s 12th birthday. The celebration took place months after her arrival at the residence, when she was already integrated into the household’s routine.
“The family has good purchasing power. She had a party to celebrate her 12th birthday, as she said when she arrived that she was 11 years old,” said the delegate. According to the investigation, the suspect reinforced the identity she had created daily. Played with dollsdrew children’s drawings, used pacifiers, bottles and kept objects associated with childhood.
“She effectively lived like a teenager. The behavior was childish and compatible with the age she said she was. This helped to remove suspicion and strengthened the narrative built over time”, said the delegate.
Even before officially starting to live with her family, the woman was already receiving financial help. She requested money and transfers via Pixwhich were forwarded to third parties, the police said. The exact amount moved is still being investigated.
In addition to housing and food, he received clothes, gifts and other personal items. “She had her own decorated room. She was treated like a daughter by the couple,” said Gusso.
Whenever the possibility of regularizing the situation through formal adoption arose, the woman presented a justification to avoid any official procedure.
“She said she didn’t want to be adopted because a supposed abusive father could find her and take her away. It was an explanation that sensitized the family and prevented the matter from moving forward,” said Gusso.
Taken to the police station, the case took a different turn. Confronted with the information gathered by investigators, the woman abandoned her false identity and confessed to the fraud, says the police chief. “When she was questioned, she confessed the facts. She gave her real name, presented her CPF and revealed her origin. Until then she said she was from Pará, but in fact she was from Ceará”, stated Gusso.
According to the investigation, she has a criminal record and has committed similar crimes in the states of São Paulo, Rio de JaneiroMinas Gerais, Rio Grande do Sul and Goiás.
The report did not locate the suspect’s defense, whose real name was not officially released.
The Court of Justice of Santa Catarina was contacted by email, but did not respond until the text was published.
