Former social employee who posed as Boston pupil ‘has extreme psychological well being challenges,’ lawyer says

Faculties

Shelby Hewitt posted $5,000 bail, however was ordered to steer clear of Boston colleges, and was barred from working towards social work.

A former state social employee who posed as a Boston Public Faculties pupil was launched on bail Monday throughout her arraignment for fraud expenses, NBC10 Boston reported.

Canton resident Shelby Hewitt, 32, was arraigned in West Roxbury Municipal Courtroom on expenses regarding allegations that she attended three Boston excessive colleges through the 2022-2023 college yr underneath pretend identities and used cast paperwork to register with the colleges.

Authorities have charged Hewitt with 4 counts of doc forgery, two counts of uttering a false writing, and one depend of identification fraud.

Hewitt allegedly attended Jeremiah E. Burke Excessive College in Dorchester, Brighton Excessive College, and English Excessive College in Jamaica Plain underneath pretend names comparable to “Daniella” and “Ellie.”

Hewitt was found in June when a person posing as her father informed employees at English Excessive College that he was going to switch her to a brand new college as a result of she was being bullied. This prompted an administrator to look extra carefully at her registration paperwork, which they rapidly realized was suspicious.

Hewitt’s arraignment

Throughout Hewitt’s arraignment, she didn’t converse, however acquired red-eyed and teary and might be seen shaking, The Boston Globe reported. Her lawyer, Timothy Flaherty, entered a not responsible plea for her.

“It is a younger girl that has extreme psychological well being challenges, and he or she has been coping with it on a life-long foundation. It’s well-documented, and he or she is constant to cope with it,” NBC10 Boston reported Flaherty saying.

Flaherty reportedly mentioned Hewitt has been receiving psychological well being remedy since she was charged, however wouldn’t elaborate on any particular diagnoses. He informed reporters that she was “unsettled” by the arraignment, and other people within the courtroom may hear her crying after she exited the room, the Globe reported.

Hewitt has a grasp’s diploma in social work from UMass Boston and no felony document, the Globe reported.

The choose set Hewitt’s bail at $5,000. She was additionally ordered to steer clear of public Boston colleges, to stop contact with two individuals concerned within the case — together with an individual who posed as her father or mother, and was barred from working towards social work, the Globe reported.

Why did Hewitt pose as a pupil?

When requested why Hewitt posed as a pupil, the Globe reported that Flaherty deflected the query.

“I believe the ‘why’ is type of irrelevant frankly,” Flaherty reportedly informed the information media. “If I have been an individual of authority accountable for safeguarding our college students, I might be asking ‘how.’”

Flaherty mentioned through the arraignment that he didn’t suppose authorities would uncover any “sinister exercise” by his consumer, the Globe reported.

Hewitt attended public Boston colleges starting Sept. 7, 2022, and ending June 14, the Globe reported. No reviews have emerged of Hewitt harming any college students or employees on the colleges.

College students on the colleges she attended mentioned beforehand that she was quiet and really clever, however that her life story stored altering. They mentioned she was suspiciously well-dressed, drove a automobile to high school, and regarded too outdated to be in highschool.

The scholars additionally mentioned Hewitt was identified for having emotional outbursts in school. She even joined the lady’s basketball staff, and one in all her “mother and father” got here to video games to observe her.

What proof police have uncovered

Final month, police executed a search warrant at a Jamaica Plain dwelling the place Hewitt lived with two individuals who allegedly posed as her mother and father, the Globe reported. The Boston Herald recognized these individuals as John Smith and Rebecca Bernat, each 48.

On the dwelling, police discovered 5 Lowell Juvenile Courtroom paperwork cast with the names of two individuals whose initials match names Hewitt is alleged to have used, the Globe reported. These names belong to actual individuals, one in all whom informed police she hadn’t given Hewitt permission to make use of her title and that she didn’t even know Hewitt.

Police additionally discovered pretend paperwork presupposed to be from the Division of Youngsters and Households with custody data for the 2 pretend identities, the Globe reported. The social employee listed on the paperwork doesn’t appear to exist.

The division mentioned beforehand that Hewitt labored for them on and off starting in 2016 up till February 2023, the Globe reported.

Hewitt is due again in courtroom on Aug. 29 for a pre-trial listening to, the Herald reported. She faces as much as 10 years in jail if convicted.