Eighteen-year-old Breana Harmon Talbott of Denison, Texas, ran into a church and told people she had been kidnapped and raped by three masked black men. Talbott, who was wearing only a bra, T-shirt and underwear, was bloodied and looked battered. News of the incident swept the community and incited racist tweets on social media.
One subreddit dedicated to Donald Trump posted the following:
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“Three black man kidnapped and gang raped an engaged 18 year old white girl yesterday. IF THE RACES WERE REVERSED, THIS WOULD BE NATIONAL NEWS. THESE MEN DESERVE TO BE HANGED.”
But apparently, Talbott’s story was a hoax.
According to the Denison Police Department Wednesday, Talbott concocted the whole story earlier this month.
“The so-called victim in the case confessed to the hoax last evening (March 21) to a member of the investigative team working the case,” read a news release by Denison Police Chief Jay Burch. “Talbott’s hoax was also insulting to our community and especially offensive to the African-American community due to her description of the so-called suspects in her hoax.
“The department will file a criminal case against her for false report to a peace officer, a class B misdemeanor” and will “seek restitution for the significant costs for conducting such a major investigation,” Burch’s statement continued.
According to the Dallas News, Talbott’s injuries were all self-inflicted and, Burch said, “It is our understanding that medical personnel who examined Talbott were unable to corroborate that Talbott had been sexually assaulted.”
Talbott was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Grayson County Correctional Facility in Sherman, Texas.
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