"Alleged Impersonator of Boston Student Pleads Not Guilty in Court"

A former social worker, 31-year-old Johanna Hewitt, pleaded not guilty in Superior Court to charges of fraud and impersonation after allegedly posing as a 16-year-old and later a 13-year-old student in the Boston Public Schools while working for the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Hewitt allegedly created fake identities of DCF employees and enrolled herself in school, obtaining special education services and collecting her state salary while attending school. She is accused of using a fake email domain and purchasing TracFone numbers to perpetrate the ruse. Hewitt's lawyer cited her history of mental health struggles, while the prosecution described her actions as an "elaborate pattern of fraudulent conduct." Hewitt was released on bail with several conditions and her next hearing is scheduled for February 2.