Students and staff at Riverside High School were left stunned this week after a shocking discovery — the “new student” who had been attending classes, eating lunch in the cafeteria, and even joining a few extracurriculars wasn’t a teenager at all.
Authorities say the woman, posing as a 17-year-old transfer student, had been attending the school for nearly three weeks before anyone noticed something was off.
Teachers reportedly became suspicious when the “student” began asking strange questions about school security policies and student record systems. Others said she appeared “far too mature” for a high schooler, often avoiding social media and steering clear of photos.
When administrators confronted her, the woman attempted to flee campus but was stopped by the school resource officer. After questioning, police determined she was actually 28 years old and had used falsified documents — including a fake birth certificate and enrollment records — to gain entry.
According to investigators, she claimed her motive was to “re-experience high school life” and that she “just wanted to belong.” However, police are now looking into whether her actions were part of a larger identity fraud scheme or something more disturbing.
She was arrested on charges of forgery, falsifying government documents, and trespassing on school property.
Parents say they are demanding answers from the district about how an adult woman could slip through the system so easily.
One mother told reporters, “It’s terrifying to think someone that age was walking the halls with our kids.”