How old is Hyejeong Shin? Rutgers University grad poses as teen in New Brunswick High School to relive glory days

Hyejeong Shin went viral across social media after it was revealed that the adult posed as a teenager and attended classes at New Brunswick High School. Now, her lawyer has defended her by saying that the Rutgers University graduate wanted to relive her teen experience and did not have any malicious intent. The woman has pleaded not guilty in court.

New Jersey native Hyejeong Shin was arrested after getting caught posing as a 16-year-old student and attending classes. She was 29 when the incident occurred. When fellow students learned about what she was doing, they alerted school management. One student even revealed that Shin acted like a freshman despite not looking like one.

Not only did she attend classes, she also got into the school by providing fake government documents. She even went on to message a few students to go out with her, within four days of her arrest.

Speaking about her intentions, her lawyer Darren Gelber told to ABC7 recently that Shin wanted to return to:

“An environment that she looks back on fondly… At no time was anyone or any student in danger and this entire case is more about my client wanted to return to a place of safety and welcoming and an environment that she looks back on fondly and nothing more.”

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What charges is Hyejeong Shin facing?

According to the New Brunswick Police Department, Hyejeong Shin was charged on January 24 with providing false legal documents with the intent to verify one’s identity or age. Law enforcement also believes that Shin attended the high school to inflict harm on other students, faculty, and staff members.

She now faces a grand jury indictment for her third-degree offense.

Defending the school administration for their blunder, Dr. Dale Caldwell, the president of New Brunswick’s Board of Education, claimed that there were no physical factors that alerted them about Hyejeong Shin’s real age. He told TAPinto:

“It wasn’t like you could look at her and she looked like a grandmother. So, there really was no indication.”

He also defended his client by saying that public schools cannot stop a person from getting an education. He added:

“But we have to make sure they are legit, they’re telling the truth.”

During her time at New Brunswick High School, Shin was in touch with guidance counselors who were attempting to piece together her background. She got caught in her lie after she told school authorities that it was unclear as to who her legal guardians were despite being a teenager.

During one of her days at the institution, Shin attempted to sign out for the day. However, she was prevented from doing so alone as she was a minor. In frustration, she exploded and revealed that she was 29 years old in reality.

Details behind when she was arrested were not available online at the time of writing this article.

According to her attorney, Shin hopes to be accepted into a pre-trial intervention program that will ensure that she avoids jail time. She also reportedly plans to move back to South Korea after spending 13 years in the United States.