Girl Admits Making Up Rape Story 13-Year-Old’s Tale Of Attack In School Caused Wave Of Fear
A 13-year-old girl told police Friday she lied about being raped earlier this month at a Salem middle school.
The reported restroom attack at Crossler Middle School had caused an outpouring of concern about school safety statewide.
The girl recanted after police who reviewed a video surveillance tape found no evidence of an intruder where she said the attack occurred.
She has been charged with making a false report and the case will be referred to a grand jury, said Salem police Lt. Ed Boyd.
“We’re very happy this did not occur,” Boyd said.
“But we have great concern for the young lady and what would cause this report in the first place.”
The eighth-grader gave a detailed description of an attacker she said was a 6-foot-4 white male, 15 to 16, with white hair in a “buzz cut,” a scar on his face and swastika tattoo behind his ear.
But an extensive search and a review of the surveillance tape failed to find anybody matching the description, Boyd said.
The girl admitted Friday morning she made up the story, Boyd said, but police still were trying to learn why she lied.
“We just want to get his young lady the help she needs,” Boyd said.
The principal of the school, Robert Keller, was not immediately available for comment. But Homer Kearns, Salem-Keizer School District superintendent, said parents and district staff were relieved to learn it was a false report.
“That’s no reason to relax our security measures,” Kearns said. “But mentally some parents and staff can relax now.”
He said security procedures already had been tightened in recent years, but this was the first report of a rape at school in the district’s history.
“What’s caused me the most distress was the wave of terror that was sent through our community,” Kearns said.
“Parents were frantic and scrambling about how to protect kids walking or bike riding. Kids were afraid to go to the bathroom alone. It caused just a tremendous amount of unnecessary trauma.”