A Massachusetts woman is facing two counts of filing a false report after authorities say she lied about being assaulted and mugged at a park last week.
On March 25, a 49-year-old woman told police a man came up from behind and threw her to the ground as she walked behind the tennis courts at Russell Park in Quincy, a city about 12 miles outside of Boston. The suspect, whom she described an African-American man in his 20s, allegedly stole her jacket and shoes before taking money from her purse and fleeing the scene.
According to Quincy PD, The woman had visible cuts to her face when officers arrived to the scene about 15 minutes later. One of the officers also recovered the woman’s shoes and jacket in a wooded area not far from where the “victim” claimed the mugging had occurred.
No other evidence was found that day, and there were no witnesses to the alleged attack.
After reviewing surveillance footage near the park, however, police brought the woman in for a second round of questioning, during which she confessed to making the entire thing up.
“As part of a thorough investigation, detectives reviewed surveillance in the area of the crime scene,” the department said in a statement. “When Detective [Michael] Eddy re-interviewed the alleged victim, she confessed that she had made a false report.”
It turns out the cuts on her face were actually from walking through brush along the park’s trails, Police Sgt. Karyn Barkas told the Quincy Patch. Barkas described Russell Park as a “very safe” area, and said it was concerning that someone would fabricate a violent attack like that.
“We were concerned when we first heard this had happened,” she said. “When it occurs midday it can be a little more frightening for people and I think it puts them on edge.”
Authorities have not released the name of the woman and they are still working to determine the woman’s motive for lying. She has since been summoned to Quincy County Court for making a false report, police announced Monday.
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