A Brazilian court convicted 37-year-old Amanda Maria Souza de Oliveira of fraud and false identity after she spent 14 months posing as a child while living with a foster family. The Court of Justice of Santa Catarina announced the verdict on Thursday, closing a case that saw an adult woman successfully deceive a family into believing she was a minor in need of care. The case highlights how a fabricated identity and claims of abuse can go undetected within a household for an extended period.

Oliveira reportedly gained entry into the family's home by claiming she was fleeing abuse, a story that persuaded them to take her in as their daughter. Her true age of 37 only emerged after more than a year of living under the false pretence, prompting the fraud investigation that led to her conviction this week.