Investigative journalism

Baby trafficking in Brazil: memory, investigation and the search for origins

Between the 1970s, the 1980s and the early 1990s, Brazil was at the center of illegal adoptions, falsified civil records and baby trafficking — both domestically and internationally.

Decades later, the consequences remain: adults search for their biological origins, Brazilian families look for missing children, and many stories remain fragmented, silenced or unknown.

This website brings together journalistic investigation, memory and practical guidance for those seeking context, pathways for family search and answers about baby trafficking in Brazil.

About this project

This website is part of an investigative journalism project about baby trafficking in Brazil and its historical, legal and human consequences. To explore the project’s core materials, visit the investigation section or read the guidance page.

The project brings together four main areas:

Investigation and memory

case mapping, document-based reporting, pattern analysis and historical context

Practical guidance

information about rights, institutional pathways and the search for biological origins

Frequently asked questions

clear answers about illegal adoption, baby trafficking, civil records and family search

Story collection

a structured space for people directly or indirectly affected to share their stories

Explore the project

Read the investigation

Cases, historical context, central figures and analysis related to baby trafficking in Brazil

Access the guidance

Information about rights, possible pathways, institutions and next steps

Share your story

Send your story safely and at your own pace

About the author

Gabriel Toueg has worked as a journalist since 2004, with international experience and reporting for major Brazilian and foreign news organizations. He also holds a master’s degree in Communication and Culture, with research focused on how the Brazilian press covered baby trafficking cases in the country during the 1980s.

His work investigates baby trafficking and its long-term consequences through documentary research, historical analysis and personal testimonies, with a focus on memory and the search for origins.

Learn more about the author of this investigation and the professional and academic path behind this project.

About Gabriel Toueg

About this website

This is a journalistic project. We do not provide legal advice, conduct individual investigations or mediate contact between people. Our goal is to inform, guide, preserve stories and offer reliable public-interest information about baby trafficking in Brazil.