Cairo woman attempts to enroll in high school, faces felony charges
CAIRO — A Cairo woman is facing charges after she pretended to be a 15-year-old homeless student and tried to enroll in a local high school, police said Thursday.
Michaelann Goodrich, 32, attempted to enroll as a student in the Cairo-Durham school district under the alias Riley Madison, according to a statement from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office.
She was arrested and charged Dec. 28 with first-degree offering false instrument for filing, a class E felony; first-degree falsifying business records, a class E felony; and third-degree criminal trespass, a class B misdemeanor.
Goodrich attempted to enroll at Cairo-Durham on Dec. 19, Superintendent Anthony Taibi said.
“We notified law enforcement immediately,” he said.
Because Goodrich identified herself as a homeless student, the district was required to follow special procedures identified in the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987, Taibi said, which provides federal money to combat homelessness.
“We consulted with law enforcement based upon the circumstances and proceeded accordingly,” Taibi said.
The superintendent did not know if mental illness played a role in Goodrich’s actions.
“I can’t speculate on that,” Taibi said. “I don’t know what her motives were.”
Goodrich’s attempt to enroll as a homeless student was suspicious, police said.
“The Cairo-Durham School District followed appropriate procedures and contacted local authorities to investigate,” according to the statement from the sheriff’s office.
Students returned to school Wednesday from winter break. The investigation was completed before school reopened, police said.
Goodrich was also under supervision from an adult when in the school, as per the school’s procedure, Taibi said.
Investigators are uncertain if Goodrich has made other attempts to falsify records, enroll in schools or access children, according to police.
Anyone with information about Goodrich is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Unit at 518-943-3300.
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