Brazilian influencer arrested in SP following allegations of minors’ adultification
15 de August de 2025
By Adrisa De Góes* – From Cenarium
SÃO PAULO (SP) – Digital influencer Hytalo Santos was arrested on the morning of this Friday, 15, in the city of Carapicuíba (39 kilometers from the capital), in Greater São Paulo. The information was confirmed to Folha by prosecutor Ana Maria França, from the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Paraíba (MP-PB).
A video of the arrest shows Hytalo next to his partner, identified as Israel Natan Vicente, better known as Euro, who was also arrested. “You are being arrested by the DEIC [State Department of Criminal Investigations], here in São Paulo”, says one of the officers executing the warrant.
Hytalo is under investigation by the MP-PB and the Public Labor Prosecutor’s Office (MPT) on suspicion of exploitation and exposure of minors in content produced for social media. The case gained national attention after denunciations by YouTuber Felca, who pointed to situations of “adultification” of children and adolescents.
The arrests were ordered by Judge Antônio Rudimacy Firmino de Sousa, of the 2nd Court of the District of Bayeux, in Paraíba. In the decision, the judge cited “strong evidence” of crimes such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation, illegal child artistic labor, production and dissemination of videos on social media, as well as the coercion of children and adolescents.
On Wednesday, 13, teams from the Military Police and court officers executed a search and seizure warrant at Hytalo Santos’s residence in a luxury condominium in João Pessoa, issued by the 1st Court for Children and Youth at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Paraíba. Upon arriving at the location, agents found the house locked and empty, with signs that the influencer had left hours earlier, taking several electronic devices with him, such as cell phones, cameras, and computers.
Judge Adhailton Lacet Correia Porto, responsible for the case, pointed out that the early removal of the equipment could constitute obstruction of the investigation, which would lead to the decree of preventive detention. The decision also includes immediate protective measures for the victims: suspension of the influencer’s profiles on major social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, removal of content involving minors, and separation of minors from the suspect’s presence, with monitoring by the Guardianship Council.
The influencer’s defense could not be reached by the time of publication.
Adultification
The video published on August 6 by Felca on YouTube, titled “Adultização”, has over 40 million views and more than 255,000 comments as of the morning of this Friday, 15. The post addresses child sexual abuse, early sexualization, and the adultification of children.
With more than 6 million subscribers on the platform, the content creator accuses influencer Hytalo Santos of producing and sharing videos involving minors. Among the cases mentioned is that of a 17-year-old girl who, according to Felca, had her image exploited in a sensual manner in the posts.
In a previous statement, Hytalo denied the exploitation accusations. “My personal and professional trajectory has always been guided by an unwavering commitment to the protection of children and adolescents”, he said at the time.
Adultification occurs when children and adolescents are prematurely exposed to adult behaviors, responsibilities, and aesthetic standards, driven by media, social networks, and cultural pressures. This process can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and harm to development.