By Carlos Alcalá
calcala@sacbee.com
A Redding woman told police she was assaulted in her own backyard by four youths from the high school next door.
The woman, Maureen Saari, said that she was in her backyard when the teens climbed the fence from Enterprise High School, according to a police department release.
Saari, 35, said she confronted them and was pushed to the ground, getting a slight cut on her forehead.
The juveniles, she said, spat on her, picked up the money that fell from her pocket and fled.
Police now say Saari made it all up because she didn't have enough money to make a car payment.
Saari reported the incident Jan. 14, but investigating officers found inconsistencies in her story over the following week.
There was no evidence of the reported struggle, and no corroborating witnesses, police said.
Moreover, when they checked surveillance video at the high school, it failed to show the juvenile suspects as Saari had indicated.
When officers challenged her story Friday, she admitted she fabricated the story, police reported.
The case is to be sent to the Shasta County District Attorney for possible charges of filing a false police report.
Call The Bee's Carlos Alcalá, (916) 321-1987.
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