A ‘millionaire’ social worker is accused of posing as a 13-year-old orphan to attend three high schools after ‘tricking’ a couple into fostering her.
Shelby Hewitt was allegedly bullied by students for looking older as they teased her that ‘white cracks early’ but they were somewhat right, as the supposed teen is actually 32-years-old.
Having reportedly gone by names like 13-year-old ‘Ellie Blake’ and ‘Daniella Blake Herrerra’, 16, it’s still unclear why this alleged fraud took place.
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And the American's former classmates were left pretty p**sed off as a tricked pal Jannell Lamons said to the Boston Globe: “Why did [she] do this? I feel betrayed and confused.”
In December 2023, Hewitt pleaded not guilty to three counts of document forgery, two counts of common law forgery, and one count each of uttering false or forged records, identity fraud, larceny over $1,200 (£957), and violating public employee standards of conduct.
The woman graduated with a master’s in school counselling in 2016 but left her job in 2018.
It is reported that around that time, her mum and grandad passed away, leaving her with an inheritance speculated to be up to $1 million (£797,250).
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Prosecutors allege that at first, she posed electronically as a Department of Children and Families worker to get herself admitted as a child patient at a treatment centre.
Then, she went on to enrol as a 16-year-old student named Daniella Blake Herrera.
At the third school, it is alleged she enrolled as a 13-year-old named Ellie Blake.
For much of the school year, it is said she lived with Rebecca Bernat and John Smith, having met the woman while she was allegedly posing as a child patient.
Hewitt called them her foster parents and the couple haven’t been charged with any crimes as a lawyer representing them said in a statement: “John and Rebecca are among numerous people who genuinely believed a desperate young person was in need.”
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She was arrested in June 2023 and it is alleged she was living her 'real life' alongside the whole time, working as a social worker and buying a two-bedroom condo while also posing at the high schools.
It is still not clear just why Hewitt allegedly posed as a teen over the years.
Globe Magazine recently investigated the case and approached the woman for comment.
She said ‘there’s a reason’ for why she did everything and that while her lawyer is prohibiting her from saying anything at the moment, the ‘truth will come out in time’.
Jess Battison