In brief
Maria Pires believed her adoption at age 11 would mean safety and belonging in America, but she fell victim to abuse and a tumultuous life of crime. After years of struggle, she faced deportation back to Brazil, where she is trying to rebuild her life while searching for her identity. Despite setbacks, Pires remains hopeful for a future where she can reconnect with her roots and affirm her resilience.
Maria Pires, dreaming of a brighter future, crossed the globe from Brazil to the United States, only to find herself trapped in an abusive home. Adopted with hopes of a new life, she endured unimaginable horrors.
At 11, Maria thought adoption would mean escape from an orphanage marred by violence. Instead, her new father, Floyd Sykes III, subjected her to years of torment and abuse, overshadowing her innocent dreams.
After Sykes’ arrest, her life reached a new kind of chaos — a battle against the criminal justice system that saw her incarcerated and marked for deportation. Despite her criminal past stemming from a turbulent childhood, Maria worked hard to better herself.
Released in 2017, she made strides in overcoming her anger and addiction, earning a job permit and participating in job training programs. Yet, when immigration policies tightened under a new administration, Maria was detained during a routine check-in.
This abrupt action tore her from a newfound community and placed her on a flight back to Brazil, a country she barely remembers. Now, standing in a women’s shelter, Maria confronts her past while seeking to rediscover her identity.
Maria's journey from trauma to resilience continues, as hopes for a brighter future clash against the harsh realities of her situation.
“I’ve survived all these years,” she asserts, still carrying a hope for tomorrow and a desire to reconnect with her origins.
