Jesumary
In hiding: Vitoria Alves Jesumary has fled to the Brazilian Embassy in Oslo after claiming social services tried to take her daughter because she is not 'eating like a Norwegian' (stock image)
A Brazilian woman has fled to her embassy in Oslo with her three-year-old daughter after Norwegian child protection services threatened to take the child into care.

Vitoria Alves Jesumary, 37, a Brazilian native, claims social services tried to take her daughter Sofia because she is not 'eating like a Norwegian'.

Ms Jesumary has now been hiding at the embassy for a week and is refusing to leave until she is allowed to return to Brazil with her daughter.

Ms Jesumary recently divorced Sofia's father, a Norwegian man of Chilean descent, and the custody battle and troublesome split led to her contacting welfare services for help, but instead was threatened with losing her child, she claims.

A friend of Ms Jesumary says she was told the reason for Sofia being taken into care is because of her eating habits and dominating character.

However, the validity of this statement has been questioned as the mother does not speak English or Norwegian.

'Put simply, it's an abuse of authority," Ana Lucia Lima, a pastor at a pentecostal church in Oslo, told The Local.

'They say she's not eating like it's normal to do here in Norway and that she's developing a dominating character among her friends. They say this is because she's not getting good parenting.'

Child Protection Services were contacted by local media, but refused to comment on individual cases.

Brazilian embassy representative Francisco Chagas Catunda Resende told state broadcaster NRK that although Brazil respected Norway's laws and institutions, it is in Sofia's best interest that she and her mother move to Brazil.

Not eating like a Norwegian? Well, you can't blame her

Out of all the Scandinavian countries, Norway can pride itself on some of the most unusual dishes.

- Smalahove, 'Sheep's head', a dish still enjoyed in West Norway before Christmas time, sees a whole sheep's head - tongue and all - dried, smoked, boiled and then enjoyed whole.

- Væraballer, ram's testicles, are a traditional starter to the 'sheep's head' main dish and served with sour cream. Waste not want not. It is not very common in modern Norway .

- Fiskemølje is another feast served in wintertime. Pieces of boiled cod are served up in a broth of cod liver and roe.

- The Scandinavian climate resulted in a lot of traditional Norwegian food involve fermenting and curing to last through the winter months. Rakfisk, traditionally made from trout, is fermented for several months before it is served up on flatbread with onions and a dollop of sour cream. Its smell, like that of its Swedish cousin 'surströmming', is not for the fainthearted.

'We're trying to resolve this case diplomatically with Norwegian authorities,' he said.

'It is a very uncomfortable situation for the embassy.'

The Brazilian embassy has met with representatives from the local CPS as well as the Chilean consulate, Mr Resende added.

Sofia's father told the state broadcaster that he also supports Ms Jesumary's wish to travel to Brazil.

'As I see it, it's the only solution. We don't think this can be solved in court,' he told NRK.

The tale of Ms Jesumary and her daughter echoes a well-published case from 2012 of Norwegian CPS removing a five-month-old and a three-year-old from their Indian parents.

The parents claimed the children had been taken from them as a result of them sleeping in their parents' bed and being fed by hand.

The case appeared on India's largest English language TV station, New Delhi Television and was cabled out across world media's as 'The Nightmare in Norway'.

However, following an intervention by the Indian government, the father admitted that his wife had 'a serious psychological problem' which had led to the children being taken into care.

The children now live in India with their uncle.