An image of Maria Verônica when she was simulating her pregnancy

In January 2012, Maria Verônica Aparecida César Santos, a Brazilian educator living in Taubaté, simulated she was pregnant of quadruplets. Her case was widely covered by prominent national media outlets. She notably appeared on Record's TV show Hoje em Dia, where she received diapers and a furnished room for the alleged daughters for free.

Chris Flores, the host of the mentioned program, was skeptical of the pregnancy and asked reporter Michael Keller to investigate the case, revealing that Maria's ultrasound was stolen. Maria sought a lawyer to defend her, who later stated that the case was indeed false. Maria and her husband, Kléber, faced charges of fraud, but the process was suspended and, years later, dismissed. The owner of the original ultrasound also sued Maria for moral damages.

Since then, Maria – known as "Grávida de Taubaté" (lit.'pregnant from Taubaté') – became an Internet meme. In the 2012 Carnival, a costume simulating a pregnancy was the best-selling in Taubaté. The suffix "de Taubaté" (of/from Taubaté) became a common way to express something is false. After the incident, Maria isolated herself, sought psychiatric help, and changed her habits and appearance. Chris attempted to reconnect with her in subsequent years. A film based around the case was announced in late 2023.

Case

Background and hoax repercussions

Maria Verônica Aparecida César Santos, resident of Taubaté, owned a preschool and, at the time, had a four-year-old son. Before the hoax was revealed, she reported that she initially discovered she was pregnant of twins, but later found out she was pregnant of quadruplets.[1] The case would be rare, since approximately one in every nine million women became pregnant of quadruplets, in addition to the fact that her husband had had a vasectomy.[2] The supposed daughters would be called Maria Klara, Maria Eduarda, Maria Fernanda and Maria Vitória, and each would have specific colors for their belongings.[3][4]

A week after the supposed pregnancy was discovered, Maria had already appeared on six local programs, with details of her pregnancy, and began to be absent from school to record interviews outside of Taubaté.[5][6] G1 published on January 6, 2012, that "The godparents [...] have already been chosen. The babies' room has also been set up. Verônica is in the 34th week of pregnancy, and the quadruplets are expected to be born in the first half of January."[1] She appeared in several famous media outlets,[6] including TV Globo, Folha de S.Paulo, O Estado de S. Paulo, RedeTV! and Rede Bandeirantes.[7] Her most famous appearance, however, was on Hoje em Dia,[7][8][9] one of Record's highest-rated programs.[6] Maria mentioned on the show that she had gained thirty kilograms during her pregnancy, and her belly measured 1.82 meters.[10] In that same program, the sponsor Pampers delivered diapers and the presenter Edu Guedes cried when revealing that the team had made a furnished room for the babies.[11]

Hoax revelation

Chris Flores is credited with "unmasking" Maria

Chris Flores, at the time the host of Hoje em Dia, is credited with "unmasking" Maria. On The Noite com Danilo Gentili, she revealed that before going on air with Maria, she expressed her disbelief in Maria's pregnancy in her dressing room. Maria refused to provide any proof. Chris then asked reporter Michael Keller, who would take Maria to Taubaté after the show, to find out if she was truly pregnant. On the same day, he consulted a doctor and discovered that the ultrasound Maria presented as hers was copied from the internet and edited.[12][13][14]

On January 15, Record's Domingo Espetacular aired a report indicating that Maria was probably not pregnant. An obstetrician presented evidence that an ultrasound conducted by Verônica on August 30, 2011, showed she was not pregnant, which would be impossible.[15] After Maria's husband filed a police report against Record.[16] the Civil Police requested a pregnancy test on the 17th.[17] The next day, a delegate stated that he would open an investigation into the case.[18]

Meanwhile, Maria was looking for a lawyer to defend her. A lawyer recommended by her sister was chosen. Initially, Maria wanted to sue those who believed her pregnancy was fake for defamation, but the lawyer was unsure. He agreed to take the case with one condition: Maria had to go to the doctor and prove she was pregnant. However, she did not show up for the appointment. In the early hours of the next day, Maria's sister confirmed that the pregnancy was fake.[19] The lawyer confirmed the hoax to the press on the 20th.[20] Ten days later, he released a photo of Maria without silicone or padding in her belly.[21] In a statement on the 27th, she confessed to faking the pregnancy due to psychological issues, expressing her dream of having a daughter.[22]

Lawsuit

In March, the owner of the original ultrasound filed a lawsuit against Maria for moral damages, citing the improper use of the image. On May 21, it was decided that Maria would pay 4,000 reais in compensation to her.[23] Furthermore, Maria and her husband Kléber were prosecuted for the crime of embezzlement. However, a court settlement halted the proceedings in November.[24] The case was dismissed in December 2014.[25]

Legacy

Maria became known as "Grávida de Taubaté" and turned into an Internet meme.[26][27] A fake pregnancy costume was the best seller at the 2012 carnival in Taubaté.[28] "Taubaté" became a suffix, in the format "X de Taubaté" ("X of/from Taubaté"), to designate hoaxes;[27][29][30] the city itself became known as the "city of lies".[30] A notable example of Taubaté as a suffix was the "Parkour de Taubaté" meme ("Parkour of Taubaté") in 2020, name given by Internet users who mocked a video of people doing parkour.[31][32] Edu Guedes was mocked in subsequent years for crying in Hoje em Dia.[33] Journalist Chico Felitti made an episode about the case in his podcast Além do Meme.[34] The Unidos do Parque Aeroporto samba school, in Taubaté, was the champion in the city's carnival in 2018; one of its blocks was dedicated to Grávida de Taubaté.[35] The case inspired the name of the podcast Filhos da Grávida de Taubaté ("[The] Children of Grávida de Taubaté").[36]

Maria and Chris Flores

According to a G1 publication in December 2012, after the case, Maria "isolated herself, sought treatment and saw her life change completely." She changed her look, going blonde, and also her habits. She sought out a psychiatrist, with whom she was monitored until August. At the time of publication, Maria lived in the central region of the city with her husband and son, taking care of the house, as the school where she worked was sold. According to her lawyer "Today she is fine. She underwent therapy, took medication, but the most important thing was for her to have an understanding of what happened to her."[37] Since then, Maria and Kléber have lived discreetly without easily identifiable profiles on social media. She ran a store of religious items for some time, but later closed it.[27]

In October 2020, Chris told Programa da Maisa that she had already contacted Maria through a mutual friend.[38] In an attempt to make Chris talk directly to Maria, Vem pra Cá's team went to Maria's supposed house on July 6, 2021, but the reporter and cameraman were attacked by her alleged husband. The incident was broadcast live.[39][40] In December the same year, Chris told Vênus Podcast that "everything was fine" between the two.[41][42]

Film

Director Frank Diaraki announced in September 2023 a movie about the case, titled Grávida de 4 ("Pregnant of 4"), with filming scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2024. The film would be inspired by Parasite (2019), and Diaraki described it as a "comedy thriller like you've never seen."[43][44] According to Diaracki, the film is in pre-production, but the script has already been finalized and signed by him.[45] In October, actress Viih Tube was invited to play Maria.[46]

References

  1. 1 2 "Casal que esperava ter gêmeos descobre que terá quadrigêmeos". G1. 2012-01-06. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  2. Felitti 2020, 2:58—3:42
  3. "'Megagrávida' de Taubaté (SP) leva 4 Marias na barriga". F5. 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2021-12-20.
  4. Felitti 2020, 4:07—4:21
  5. Felitti 2020, 3:52—4:01
  6. 1 2 3 Felitti 2020, 4:59—5:28
  7. 1 2 Felitti 2020, 8:03—8:23
  8. "Grávida de Taubaté: Dez anos depois, Chris Flores diz ter pena da farsante". Notícias da TV. 2022-01-11. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
  9. "Um dos maiores memes do Brasil faz 10 anos: o caso da 'Grávida de Taubaté'". Uol (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  10. Felitti 2020, 6:04—6:26
  11. Felitti 2020, 6:44—7:24
  12. "Chris Flores revela como desmascarou a Grávida de Taubaté". The Noite com Danilo Gentili. Retrieved 2021-07-09 via YouTube.
  13. Ricco, Flávio. "Repórter reivindica autoria da elucidação do caso "Grávida de Taubaté"". UOL TV e Famosos (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved 2023-08-21.
  14. "Chris Flores revela como desmascarou a 'grávida de Taubaté'". Estadão. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  15. "Gravidez de quadrigêmeos pode ser uma farsa". Estadão Conteúdo. 2012-01-16. Retrieved 2021-07-09 via G1.
  16. "Exclusivo: veja o passo a passo de como foi desmontada a farsa da supergrávida". Domingo Espetacular. 7:13—7:18 minutes in. Retrieved 2021-07-09 via R7.
  17. "Polícia pede exame para grávida comprovar gestação". Estadão Conteúdo. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2021-07-10 via G1.
  18. "Delegado vai abrir inquérito para apurar gravidez de quadrigêmeos". G1. 2012-01-18. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  19. Felitti 2020, 11:38—13:11
  20. "Gestação de quadrigêmeos era farsa, diz advogado de 'supergrávida'". G1. 2012-01-20. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  21. "Advogado de falsa grávida divulga foto da mulher sem a barriga". G1. 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  22. "Em depoimento à polícia, falsa grávida alega problemas psicológicos". G1. 2012-01-27. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  23. "Falsa grávida de interior de SP pagará R$ 4 mil a dona de ultrassom". G1. 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  24. "Acordo judicial suspende processo contra falsa grávida de Taubaté". G1. 2012-11-07. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  25. "Falsa grávida de Taubaté se livra de processo na Justiça por estelionato". G1. 2014-12-10. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  26. Barbosa, Kleyson (15 June 2017). Os 198 Maiores Memes Brasileiros que Você Respeita. São Paulo: Editora Abril. p. 79. ISBN 9788555791970.
  27. 1 2 3 "10 anos da Grávida de Taubaté: relembre o episódio em que o país inteiro foi 'trollado'". G1. Retrieved 2022-05-01.
  28. "Fantasia de 'falsa grávida' é a mais vendida para o carnaval em Taubaté". G1. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  29. Neto, Natival Almeida Simões (2019). "O padrão [[X]n de Taubaté]n no português brasileiro: um estudo sobre compostos sintagmáticos em perspectiva construcional". Revista Diadorim. doi:10.31513/linguistica.2019.v21n2a24366.
  30. 1 2 "Taubaté, cidade da mentira: o que há para conhecer na terra dos memes". iG Turismo. 2021-04-01. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  31. "Parkour de Taubaté: internautas criticam as manobras radicais". Correio Braziliense. 2020-01-27. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  32. "'Parkour de Taubaté' vira meme nas redes sociais e grupo de mulheres critica brincadeiras". JC. 2020-01-28. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  33. "Edu Guedes lembra quando chorou pela grávida de Taubaté: 'Zoado até hoje'". iG Gente. 2020-09-24. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  34. "Crítica: Podcast diverte e suscita reflexões ao investigar memes famosos". Folha de S.Paulo. 2020-12-19. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  35. "Escola de samba de Taubaté homenageia "Grávida de Taubaté" e é campeã". UOL. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  36. "Cinco podcasts para quem quer se divertir". TV Cultura. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2021-05-28.
  37. Ferezim, Renato (2012-12-28). "Falsa grávida muda de vida após repercussão do caso em 2012". G1. Retrieved 2021-07-20.
  38. "Chris Flores pretende entrevistar a Grávida de Taubaté: "Estamos conversando"". NaTelinha. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  39. "Agressão: reencontro entre repórter e grávida de Taubaté não acaba bem". IstoÉ Independente. 2021-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  40. "Nove anos depois, tentativa de reportagem com a 'grávida de Taubaté' termina com agressão". Extra Online. Archived from the original on 2021-07-11. Retrieved 2021-07-09.
  41. "Chris Flores diz que já se reconciliou com a grávida de Taubaté". F5. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  42. "Chris Flores conta que já se reconciliou com a grávida de Taubaté". Veja São Paulo. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  43. "História da Grávida de Taubaté vai virar filme; veja possível pôster!". Glamour. 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  44. "Inspirado em Parasita, filme vai contar história da Grávida de Taubaté". Metrópoles. 2023-09-28. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  45. "Roteirista de filme inspirado na grávida de Taubaté explica projeto: 'A única coisa concreta até agora é o roteiro'". Extra. 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
  46. "Lucas Pasin: Viih Tube é convidada para interpretar a grávida de Taubaté no cinema". UOL. 2023-10-17. Retrieved 2023-12-26.
Sources
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