THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 15, 1996 TAG: 9605150388
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PERRY PARKS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ELIZABETH CITY LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
A Northeastern High School student who was found bound and cut in a girls' bathroom Monday admitted to investigators Tuesday that she had made up the story.
Pasquotank County Sheriff Randy Cartwright said the admission by the 16-year-old ended months of fabrication when the girl had told authorities she had been getting ``hate notes.''
``She admitted to planning it and doing it herself,'' Cartwright said. ``She admitted to the notes, that she was writing them.''
A student found the girl lying on the bathroom floor between first and second lunch hours Monday, her hands tied with a belt and scratches on her legs, arms and face.
The girl had told officials that she was pushed into the bathroom, tied and physically assaulted. She was not seriously injured.
Cartwright said the girl scratched herself and had looped her hands into her belt behind her back.
The girl, who is white, had first reported receiving notes in November that threatened her because of her relationships with people of other races. Cartwright declined to speculate on the girl's motives or to give more details about the notes.
Sheriff's officials began investigating last winter and had set up hidden cameras in the school to see if anyone was delivering notes to the girl. No evidence was found that anyone else was involved.
Despite their skepticism after the incident Monday, sheriff's deputies talked to more than 40 people, seeking evidence of an attack. The girl admitted making up the story during an interview Tuesday evening, Cartwright said.
``She said she felt she was getting too deep'' in the note story and that ``she had to do something'' to make it more plausible, Cartwright said. by CNB