An 18-year-old Kentucky woman is facing a potential felony charge after she allegedly falsely reported being sexually assaulted inside a Walmart restroom earlier this month.
According to reports, the incident occurred on February 4. Officers went to a Walmart Supercenter in Glasgow after receiving a call about an alleged sexual assault that reportedly took place inside the store’s bathroom. Patrol officers and detectives with the police department’s Criminal Investigations Unit responded to the scene and began investigating the claim.
The authorities reportedly said the allegation was treated with the seriousness such claims require, and the investigators conducted interviews and collected both digital and physical evidence as part of what was described as a thorough and methodical review of the situation. According to authorities, cases involving allegations of sexual assault require careful handling and significant investigative resources.
As the investigation progressed, police reportedly gathered information that allegedly did not support the woman’s account of the events. It was also stated that the evidence collected during the investigation reportedly contradicted details of the claim. However, at the time this was written, the authorities had not released specific information about what was allegedly reported or what evidence they say conflicted with the account.
After completing the investigation, authorities took the woman into custody early last week. She is facing a preliminary charge of one count of felony false reporting of an incident. Facility records showed that she was processed at the county jail and released the following day.
The authorities also addressed the potentially dangerous impact of reports that are later determined to be false. They noted that those types of situations have a tendency to needlessly utilize emergency resources.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.