In Brazil, a 37-year-old woman was adopted by a family after pretending to be a 12-year-old child.
According to Oxu.Az citing the Daily Mail, the unusual fraud was uncovered a year later when law enforcement officers detained her. The incident took place in the city of Joinville. The woman, calling herself "Gabriela," claimed to have fled violence from the north of the country. The church community helped her find shelter, and later a family decided to take her in.
Investigation revealed that the fraudster lived with the adoptive family for 14 months. The couple considered her their own child and even threw a birthday party when she "turned 12." She explained her adult appearance as autism spectrum disorder and hormone treatment in childhood.
To make her lie believable, she used baby bottles. Investigator Rodrigo Bueno Gusso said that the suspect convinced her guardians not to send her to school by claiming she was afraid of her cruel father. The fraud was exposed when a relative contacted the police. It was discovered that the woman had attempted similar scams in other states, once even sticking over 100 needles into her body to fake a "satanic ritual" story.
The woman is currently in custody, facing charges of fraud and document forgery.
