Washtenaw County investigators probe 3 false police reports in 3 weeks
Ypsilanti police swarmed a wooded area off Green Road near Eastern Michigan University's campus Monday after a woman reported she was sexually assaulted.
On Sept. 30, an EMU student told university police a man hid in her car on campus and demanded her keys, but she punched him and ran.
And one day earlier, a woman reported to Ann Arbor police that she and her young daughter were assaulted during an attempted purse-snatching on South Main Street.
Investigators say the three incidents have something in common - they didn’t occur.
“She recanted her story,” Ypsilanti police Lt. Amy Walker said of Monday’s alleged sexual assault. “It didn’t happen.”
So far, the carjacking investigation is the only case that's been forwarded to Washtenaw County prosecutors to review for possible criminal charges.
Why do people fabricate such stories? They want attention, money or have mental health issues, police and experts say.
When a family reported to authorities in Fort Collins, Colo., last week that a 6-year-old boy could be trapped inside a homemade balloon, it spawned a media frenzy and massive search using military aircraft.
Investigators, who are seeking charges against the family, say it was a hoax designed to seek publicity for a reality television show.
But the motivation behind the local cases is less clear, said Gregg Barak, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at EMU.
“The best explanation I can come up with is that if these things didn’t occur, these people have mental issues,” Barak said.
Three cases in three weeks is not an “epidemic,” he said. Asked whether stress from the economy could prompt such reports, Barak said there are too few reports for that to be the case.
Barbara Niess, executive director of SafeHouse Center, a domestic violence and sexual assault center in Pittsfield Township, said she's confident a few false reports won’t cause people to view victims differently.
“I can’t imagine it would change the mind of the public or police in terms of whether or not this is really happening to somebody,” she said. “I’d be shocked if the community responded that way.”
Filing a false police report is a felony punishable by up to four years in prison.
The investigation into the carjacking has been forwarded to Washtenaw County prosecutors, but they have yet to make a decision on criminal charges.
“If you make a false report, generally the case would be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office,” said EMU Police Chief Greg O’Dell.
Ypsilanti police continue to investigate Monday’s report and haven’t decided whether to seek charges.
Ann Arbor police detectives did not forward their findings to prosecutors, said Lt. Mark St. Amour, noting such a decision is made on a case-by-case basis.
Filing false reports can tax police resources that could be put to better use elsewhere, St. Amour said.
At the same time, police said, the alleged victim of the attempted purse snatching, who is in the University of Michigan Hospital’s residency program, wasn’t seeking publicity.
“She just needed help,” St. Amour said.
Lee Higgins is the crime and courts reporter for AnnArbor.com. You can reach him at (734) 623-2527 or by email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
darthzero
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 4:30 p.m.
Thanks dakotawoman. We all hope that you and your husband recover from this stress. I also want to separate people who file false reports from people who are real victims, but for whatever reason don't press charges or recant their stories. That's where law enforcement comes in. Yes, their job is made more difficult when victims & witnesses don't cooperate, but it is still their job to catch the person who beat that woman, and put them on trial. Whether it was a boyfriend, a brother, or she just tripped, they still have a job to do. No excuses.
Dakotawoman1
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 2:42 p.m.
I have learned more information about this story that I'm not at liberty to completely divulge as I'm unsure whether there is an ongoing police investigation or not. However, the police did revisit my husband today and indicate to him that there was a "dispute" and that the woman was injured. So the entire story was not a "fabrication" but was also not entirely the way it was initially presented to my husband, the police and AnnArbor.com.
pegret
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 1:27 p.m.
When people read that an alleged victim has recanted their story or charges, it's often assumed that it's because the event was completely fabricated, which is definitely NOT always the case, and appears to not be the case with yesterday's story. Dakotawoman1, your husband should be applauded for his efforts to help this woman. I hope there is some resolution for him, as well as for this unfortunate woman, who is still very likely the victim of a crime, even though she recanted for whatever reasons she may have had.
Wolverine3660
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 11:46 a.m.
well, the cos cant help, if she is being stupid enouhg to not co=operate withteh cops. From my days volunteering at a domestic violence shelter in Salt lake City, some womenare either too frightened, or, in some cases, too stupid to know who their true friends are,and they will do anything to prevent their assailant from getting in trouble.
grimdaddy1
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 11:25 a.m.
the reason no charges will caome of these it is is women making the reports and that means she needs help not a charge huh
djm12652
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 11:16 a.m.
quoted from article above: "At the same time, police said, the alleged victim of the attempted purse snatching, who is in the University of Michigan Hospitals residency program, wasnt seeking publicity. She just needed help, St. Amour said."' Way to go criminal justice system, allow another individual that commits a crime to be held unaccountable for some lame "she just needed help" excuse...
Dakotawoman1
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 9:39 a.m.
I don't want to say too much more online about this as I don't want to impede any possible ongoing investigation. However, she did not want my husband to call 911 from the get go....she wanted him to call her "daddy". My husband is absolutely devasted by this "recant" as he indicated to me he has never seen a woman so distraught in his life and he wants whoever did this to her to pay. Let's put it this way....I'm seriously considering getting him an appointment with a counselor because of how this has affected him.....
darthzero
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 9:30 a.m.
If what dakotawoman says is true, there is no way the police should be allowed to drop this case. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the police can still press charges even if the victim recants. And if she is protecting the person who assaulted her, they should both be charged. We don't know if she is being coerced to recant, but we know she was at least beaten up, and somebody should be charged for that. If the police won't get to the bottom of this, maybe we should hunt this guy down ourselves. Sorry, I hate rapists and woman-beaters..
Laura Bien
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 9:24 a.m.
I too wondered about the Green Road case when they said she "recanted." I'd like to know what occurred between her contacting the police and her recanting. I also wondered if someone had threatened her.
Dakotawoman1
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 8:09 a.m.
SOMETHING happened with the girl yesterday.... My husband is the who called 911 for her when she stumbled out of the woods, half-naked and beaten to a bloody pulp... Not sure why she's recanting....my guess is it was somebody that she knew and doesn't want to get them in trouble.....
11GOBLUE11
Tue, Oct 20, 2009 : 8:03 a.m.
This is ridiculous. These people need to be taught a lesson. I hope they are AT LEAST ordered to pay the costs incurred by local government.