PHENOMENON: Why do Grown Women Pose as Teens, Attend High School?

Casey Garcia, 30, stands 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 105 pounds.

She records herself as she changes her appearance to try and look like her 13-year-old daughter, then using her daughter's school ID, attempts to get into Ann M. Garcia-Enriquez Middle School. 

During one of her classes, a teacher calls her by her daughter's name, Julie. Garcia makes it through the morning classes and goes to lunch where she takes more photos.  As Garcia walks into one of her last classes, another teacher asks for identification. Garcia gives her daughter's name. The teacher is suspicious, and when Garcia asks for help with topics the class has already covered, the teacher confronts her again.

Garcia is caught and now admits that she is the mother of a student and that she is partaking in a "social experiment."

The teacher asks Garcia to visit the principal's office. Garcia complies and tries to explain her goal to the principal before leaving the school. She says her goal is to prove that anyone can get into the middle school that her daughter attends and that security is seriously lacking. 

Two days later, Casey Garcia uploads her video to YouTube. Then, police show up to arrest her. The 30-year-old parent is charged with criminal trespassing, as well as tampering with government records for allegedly forging her daughter's signature.

In court, Casey Garcia confesses to entering the school, and the tampering with government records for allegedly forging her daughter's signature charge is dropped.  Garcia is found guilty of criminal trespassing. and sentenced to six months of probation in El Paso County criminal court. She faces a $700 probated fine and is required to serve 100 hours of community service 

Today Nancy Grace and her panel look at this case and others where someone impersonates a teen to get into a school. 

Joining Nancy Grace Today:

• Darryl Cohen – Former Assistant District Attorney (Fulton County, Georgia) Former Assistant State Attorney (Florida), and Defense Attorney: Cohen, Cooper, Estep, & Allen, LLC; Facebook: “Darryl B Cohen;” Twitter: @DarrylBCohen
• Dr. John Delatorre  –  Licensed Psychologist and Mediator (specializing in forensic psychology); Psychological Consultant to Project Absentis: a nonprofit organization that searches for missing persons; Twitter, IG, and TikTok – @drjohndelatorre
• Barry Golden – Former Senior Inspector for the U.S. Marshals Service, Owner of Golden Consulting and Investigations
• Elisa Mula - EMD Physical Security Strategist, Child/School Safety & Security Expert & Advocate; Twitter: @EMDNYC1, IG: @emd_nyc, YouTube: @emd6271 
• Caitlyn Becker - Senior Reporter for Dailymail.com; Twitter: @caitlynbecker 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.