The alleged victim of a sexual assault at Pacelli High School has recanted her story.

Monday, October 11, 1999

The alleged victim of a sexual assault at Pacelli High School has recanted her story.

According to Austin Police Chief Paul M. Philipp, the 15 year old juvenile created the story to cover-up possibly being pregnant.

The teenager told investigators Sunday she lied and now faces possible charges of filing a false report to police.

"It’s very frustrating, when something like this happens, and very disappointing for other victims of actual sexual assaults," Police Chief Philipp said.

"Obviously, we are relieved at the outcome," said Greg Hereford, Pacelli High School principal. "We are praying for healing for the entire Pacelli community and for the young woman and her family."

The teenager, a resident of Ostrander and a student at LeRoy-Ostrander High School, first told authorities she was raped in a storeroom at Pacelli High School last Thursday (Oct. 9).

She had arrived at the Austin school with her LOHS volleyball teammates and told Austin police she became separated from her teammates. The attack allegedly occurred in a downstairs storeroom near the girls’ locker room.

The teenager said she joined her teammates after the alleged attack, rode back to LeRoy on the school bus after the match, went home and told her parents later last Thursday evening.

Then, the family reported the alleged attack and the investigation by Austin police got under way.

"Little inconsistencies" in the girl’s story showed up immediately, according to Philipp.

Investigators worked Friday and Saturday on the case. Interviewed were conducted, including two with suspects who matched the description given by the teenager of her alleged assailant.

Still, Philipp said, "Her story just didn’t add up quite right."

On Sunday, police were telephoned by the teenager’s parents and the family was interviewed again.

Describing her as a "very religious" teenager, Philipp said she fiddled with a Catholic rosary in her hands while being interviewed Sunday. At first she said she was not attacked at Pacelli High School, but that it took place at LeRoy and then she recanted the entire story. "She was concerned she may be pregnant after having sexual relations with her boyfriend," Philipp said. "She said she had to come up with a story to cover it up if she was."

The police chief said Mower County Attorney Patrick A. Oman will be asked to consider filing charges against the teenager of filing a false police report.

However, he couldn’t contain his personal frustrations from his comments to reports today.

"It should hever hace come to us," he said.

"Thee’s great concert and embarassment tot he school. The principal was very upset over this," Philipp said. lso a threat to the reputations of the possible suspects interviewed in connection with the case. There is greater concert for other victims. Everytime someobody files a false report it hurts other victims."

Philipp said the department’s investigators "put in a lot of work on this case, too."

He credited the department’s investigators with "good police work," because "They became suspicious of her story already on Friday, the day after the crime allegedly occurred."

Philipp said the teenager’s false story could have far-reaching ramnifications in one particular area.

"Her story came together so that one person stood out among the others as a possible suspect, because of the description she gave and other details," he said.