A 29-year-old woman posed as a teenager to enroll in high school.
Hyejeong Shin, 29, forged a birth certificate to pose as a 16-year-old and attend classes at New Brunswick High School in New Jersey, according to local reports.
The college graduate only lasted four days before the school realized her documents were forged.
Her attorney, Darren Gelber, told ABC7 that Shin admitted he made a mistake but stressed that there was no malicious intent behind the elaborate ruse. On the contrary, she explains that she was simply looking for the kind of friendships she developed when she was in high school.
Gelber explained that Shin is a South Korean citizen who came to the United States alone at the age of 16 to attend a private boarding school and longed to relive her golden years.
Incidentally, a statement from the New Brunswick Police Department confirms Shin’s reasoning and states that they have found nothing to suggest Shin’s actions were motivated by a desire to harm students or staff.
However, Shin was indicted by a grand jury for producing false documents and obstructing her own prosecution.