Overview
- The Court of Justice of Santa Catarina convicted Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira in August of fraud and false identity and sentenced her to one year, six months and 10 days in prison plus additional detention time.
- Prosecutors say Oliveira, who is in her late 30s, posed as a 12-year-old and lived with an evangelical couple in Joinville for about 14 months while the family paid for her housing, food, medication and other needs.
- Police and court records state Oliveira used childlike props and behavior, admitted to inventing false identities, and told investigators she repeated similar deceptions over many years in multiple Brazilian states.
- A judge rejected the defence argument that she was mentally incapacitated and concluded she acted deliberately and consciously, and her lawyers have said they will appeal the conviction.
- Authorities continue to seek possible additional victims and the case has prompted scrutiny of vetting by churches and private helpers, the emotional harm to people who cared for her, and how the justice system treats people with complex social and mental-health histories.