Cops arrested a 30-year-old woman on Tuesday for posing as her 13-year-old daughter and attending her seventh-grade classes at an El Paso, Texas middle school.
Cops were called after Casey Garcia, who is under five feet tall and 105 pounds, posted videos while inside the school while wearing a hoodie, glasses, and a facemask. One video was titled "Going To My 13-Year-Old Daughter's School".
While Garcia deals with criminal trespass and tampering charges, she said she pretended to be a teen student "to prove a point" that "we need better security at our schools."
She says that teachers were more concerned that she had her phone out when she checked in with her daughter's ID number than actually looking at her. Garcia even ate lunch in the cafeteria without a mask on.
The mom made it through all seven periods at the school before the last teacher asked her daughter, Julie, to stay after class. The teacher looked at her, and said, "You're not Julie."
Garcia said, "The teachers were so preoccupied with the students that were online that they weren't paying attention to the students that were there physically."
The 30-year-old did apologize but added "I exposed the dangers of our schools and I am trying to protect my children and yours. If you want to come after me for that, there’s really nothing else I can say."
The school district sent a letter to parents acknowledging the security breach, writing "our security measures are being reviewed and evaluated."