33 Y.O. Social Worker Gets Busted For Posing As A High School Student For An Entire Year

You’ll never believe why she did it.

Jesse

• Published in News
• November 11, 2024

There’s the old saying that everyone has a “glory days” story; for many, high school was that peak. It was a carefree time in our formative years marked by first crushes, cringeworthy fashion choices, and an ever-present undercurrent of drama. 

For most, it’s a time best remembered fondly (or selectively). Who among us hasn’t daydreamed about going back, armed with all the wisdom we have now, ready to ace that geometry test and navigate the social minefields like a pro? 

It’s a fun fantasy but one that’s quickly dismissed because, let’s face it, adulthood has its perks: no curfews, no homework, and the sweet freedom to eat dessert before dinner.

But what if someone took that daydream too far? What if, instead of brushing off the thought, they acted on it and decided that returning to high school was exactly what they needed to mend old wounds or relive what they felt they’d missed? 

Imagine sneaking past the principal’s office, blending in with kids half your age, all while leading a double life your friends know nothing about. Sounds like the plot of a wild teen drama, right?

Well, for 33-year-old Shelby Hewitt from Canton, Massachusetts, this was reality. In a move that defies logic (and a lot of laws), she pretended to be a teenager and attended high school for an entire year.

33-year-old Shelby Hewitt pulled off the ultimate hoax by masquerading as a 13-year-old high school student for over a year

Hewitt didn’t just stroll into one school with a flimsy disguise and hope for the best. No, she went all in. Her job gave her access to all she needed to create a convincing fake identity as a teen in DCF (Department and Families Custody). 

Using the false identification and carefully crafted backstories, she enrolled in three separate high schools in Boston.

The year-long tale of deception has left authorities baffled.

At Jeremiah E Burke high school, her alias was 'Daniella,’ a supposedly 13-year-old foster kid who had survived human trafficking and couldn’t read or write. Talk about dedication to the role. 

Hewitt expertly balanced her “teen” life with vacations and adult friends on the side. And yes, she even got braces and joined a basketball team for good measure. Just your average double life, right?

The million-dollar question is: why? The answer is as bizarre as the scheme itself. According to friends and her attorney, Hewitt’s motivations trace back to grief, trauma, and—wait for it—a psychic reading. 

Shelby Hewitt managed to balance her high school act with an adult social life, leaving friends none the wiser.

After losing her mother, Hewitt went in search of comfort in an unconventional way. A visit to a psychic convinced her that revisiting her youth would heal her past traumas.

Hewitt took this quite literally, and that was how that chapter of her life—and one strange year—began. Between December 2021 and February 2023, she carried out this scheme while working as a social worker for the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families.

But this real-life twist wasn’t without consequences. Hewitt’s charade came crashing down with a slew of charges that would make anyone’s head spin. Three counts of forgery, one count of uttering (circulating counterfeit money), identity fraud, and so much more.

Shelby Hewitt sits beside her lawyer, Timothy Flaherty, as she faces the courtroom spotlight after her mind-boggling charade. (NBC Boston)

Her lawyer, Timothy Flaherty, pointed out that Hewitt has dissociative identity disorder (DID), a diagnosis formerly known as multiple personality disorder, which might explain her drastic behavior.

Hewitt has pleaded not guilty to her laundry list of charges. As she awaits trial at the end of the year, one thing is certain: this isn’t your typical high school drama. 

Whether driven by mental health struggles, trauma, or just a wild plot spurred on by a psychic’s advice, Hewitt’s story serves as a reminder that truth is often stranger than fiction.

Jesse