32-year-old woman enrolled in 3 Boston high schools, faces charges

In a case that shocked the Boston community, 32-year-old Shelby Hewitt, accused of posing as a student at three different high schools, has been indicted on multiple charges. During her court appearance she remained silent and did not address questions about the allegations that involve Hewitt falsifying paperwork and passing herself off as a teenager to attend three Boston Public High Schools: Jeremiah Burke, Brighton, and English.

During her first court appearance, Hewitt, a former Massachusetts Department of Children and Families worker, faced charges of forgery, larceny over $1200, ID theft, and false claims to employer.

Scheduled to be arraigned in Boston Superior Court on December 12, Hewitt initially turned herself in at a court in July, with her lawyer, Timothy Flaherty, emphasizing her severe mental health challenges, documented throughout her life.

The alleged fraud came to light on June 14 when a man, claiming to be Hewitt’s father, said he wanted to withdraw his daughter from English High School due to bullying. The school called 911 which triggered an investigation exposing discrepancies in Hewitt’s paperwork. A subsequent arrest warrant was issued on June 27, leading to Hewitt’s surrender in July after a period in residential treatment.

The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Social Workers is now investigating Hewitt in response to the case. Parents and students affected express feelings of betrayal and concern for their safety in the wake of the startling revelations.