29-year-old woman accused of impersonating a high school student and attending classes
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How are you, fellow children! 29-year-old woman is accused of impersonating a high school student and attending classes for FOUR DAYS before being arrested
- Hyejeong Shin, 29, was arrested last week in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
- Authorities say she posed as a minor and enrolled in high school.
- Shin attended classes for four days before his alleged ruse was exposed.
An adult female has been charged with impersonating a minor and fraudulently enrolling as a student at a New Jersey high school.
Hyejeong Shin, 29, was arrested last week after attending classes at New Brunswick High School for four days before her true age was discovered, officials said at a school board meeting Tuesday.
The purpose of the alleged hoax remains unclear, but students at the school expressed shock and fear upon learning the truth about their new classmate.
New Brunswick Public School District Superintendent Aubrey Johnson told a school board meeting that Shin attended multiple classes for four days before the plan fell apart.
Hyejeong Shin, 29, was arrested last week after attending classes at New Brunswick High School (above) for four days before her true age was discovered, authorities said.
“I was in class with this woman, I talked to her, I walked her from point A to point B and I never expected this to happen,” one student, Tatianna (center), told New Brunswick Today.
“By presenting false documents, an adult female posing as a student was able to enroll in our high school,” Johnson said at the meeting, according to video posted by new brunswick today.
Shin was charged with one count of providing a false government document with the intent to verify one’s identity or age, after police said she provided a false birth certificate, according to nbc news.
But much about the case remains unclear, including the date of Shin’s arrest and his current custody status.
An official at the Middlesex County Correctional Center for Adults told DailyMail.com that Shin was not in custody as of Wednesday night. The New Brunswick Police Department did not immediately respond to phone and email messages.
Superintendent Johnson said much of the woman’s time during the four days she was enrolled was spent with guidance counselors, who were trying to learn more about her background and needs.
But he added that she had attended at least three classes and several students spoke about the interactions they had with Shin during his fraudulent enrollment.
New Brunswick Public School District Superintendent Aubrey Johnson (center left) told a school board meeting that Shin attended multiple classes over four days.
“I was in class with this woman, I talked to her, I walked her from point A to point B and I never expected this to happen,” one student, Tatianna, told New Brunswick Today.
“Not knowing it was a 29-year-old woman makes me question how safe I am in this building,” the student added, saying she had given Shin her phone number and now feels ‘take advantage of’.
Shin reportedly told school officials that she was 15 years old, but raised suspicions when she was unclear about the identity of her legal guardians.
The plan is said to have fallen apart when Shin tried to sign out for the day, but was prevented from doing so due to being a minor. Frustrated, Ella Shin allegedly revealed that she is actually 29 years old.
If he needed to complete a GED, the adult equivalent of a high school diploma, Shin could have legally enrolled in the New Brunswick Adult Learning Center, the local news outlet noted.
Shin’s current custody status is unclear and it was not immediately clear if he had an attorney speaking on his behalf.