28-year-old posed as a student to sneak into high school, police say
Miami-Dade FL May 13 2021 With a backpack slung over her shoulders, a painting under one arm and a skateboard under the other, a woman wandered the halls of a Miami-Dade high school on Monday, distributing fliers with her social media handle to students, prosecutors said.
But Audrey Francisquini was not actually a student at American Senior High School. In fact, she isn’t a teenager.
She is 28 years old and snuck into the school in a plot to gain more Instagram followers, police said.
Hours after hurrying out of the school once authorities caught on to her alleged scheme, Francisquini was arrested and charged with felony trespassing, misdemeanor interfering with a school and resisting arrest without violence, according to court records.
She pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and a Miami-Dade Circuit judge set bond at $2,000. Francisquini’s public defender identified in court documents did not immediately respond to a message from The Washington Post late on Tuesday.
Francisquini once worked as a police officer in DeKalb County, Ga., but lost her job in 2017 when she was arrested and accused of hacking into another officer’s social media accounts and then posting nude images of the officer.
In South Florida, she now works in sales for Carnival Cruises, she told the judge on Tuesday. A Carnival spokesperson told WSVN that the company is reviewing her case internally.
On Monday, Francisquini walked through the front doors of American Senior High School, took out her phone and began recording herself handing out pieces of paper, according to an arrest report reviewed by WSVN.
A student told the station that Francisquini was showing off her Instagram feed, which featured videos and several images of her wearing a “devil’s mask.”
“It’s crazy. It’s very creepy,” the student said. The station showed videos from her account in which Francisquini wore a sinister red mask with pointy ears and black horns.
A security guard in the school eventually grew suspicious and confronted Francisquini, police said. Francisquini allegedly claimed she was a student and said she was looking for the registration office.
But instead of making her way to registration, she passed the office and resumed handing out fliers. At one point, Francisquini allegedly approached a group of students walking toward their classroom, preventing them from going inside, WPLG reported.
When a security officer approached Francisquini again, she dismissed him and continued handing out fliers, the arrest report said. The officer then notified the administration that there was a “potential threat on school campus,” according to WFOR.
Once Francisquini noticed school administrators coming toward her, she quickly made her way to an exit, ignoring instructions to stop, the arrest report said.
Thanks to the flier with her Instagram handle, though, police soon tracked her down to her North Miami Beach home on Monday night, where she remained inside and posted on her Instagram story.
“I legit have I don’t know how many cops outside right now of my house,” Francisquini said in a post broadcast by WSVN. “I’m not going outside at all.”
At a bond hearing on Tuesday, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy S. Glazer questioned how Francisquini pulled off the stunt.
“First of all, I don’t know how you get into the school,” Glazer said. “They have a guard at the front. You have to show your ID.
A prosecutor explained that Francisquini “dressed similar to students to try and blend in,” according to footage of the hearing broadcast on WSVN.
As the prosecutor and judge spoke about her alleged crimes, Francisquini nodded her head vigorously.
“Ma’am, stop doing that,” her public defender said.
As the hearing wrapped up, the lawyer added, “If someone shoves a camera in your face, just don’t talk about this.”
In addition to the three charges, the judge ordered Francisquini to stay away from the high school.
In a statement to The Post, a Miami-Dade County Public Schools spokesperson called the events an “unfortunate incident” and said the district is doing a “thorough review.”
“Miami-Dade County Public Schools will continue to work tirelessly to protect the safety and well-being of our students and employees,” the spokesperson said.
Jail records show that Francisquini had not posted bond as of early Wednesday. It is unclear when she is due back in court.
