A Texas woman enrolled as a sophomore at New Life Christian High School was revealed to be 31-year-old Charity Johnson earlier this week, shocking the woman who provided her with a home.
“I sympathized with her and invited her into my home. I took her in as a child, did her hair, got her clothes and shoes,” Tamica Lincoln, who’s served as Charity’s guardian since March, told East Texas’ KLTV. “I just don’t know why she did it. Why put yourself and others at risk to do something like this? I have deep concerns about her being who we don’t know she is, and then she’s out there at the school.”
According to a New Life Christian School spokesperson, Charity enrolled with the name “Charity Stevens” in October 2013. She was accompanied by an unidentified guardian at that time and provided a date of birth that would now make her 15. This spring, Charity told Tamica her parents were abusive and she wanted a new guardian.
After Charity spent more than one month in her home, Tamica began to suspect something was up with the story. She approached police and the school with her concerns. When police spoke with Charity, she gave them the same information she used to enroll in high school. She was arrested for providing false information — and was later identified as 31-year-old Charity Anne Johnson.
“Teachers were crying and students were crying,” Tamica said of the response. “Her best friend just couldn’t believe it.”
It’s unclear whether Charity’s done the same thing before, although Tamica said she’s since heard from four women around the country who were previously contacted by Charity. Tamica said all of them were blown away by Charity’s true identity. Charity remains in the county jail on $500 bond.
KLTV.com-Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas | ETX News
UPDATE! Local police said in a statement on May 15 that Charity is actually 34.
