OLYMPIA, Wash. – The story of a 6-year-old Washington boy recovering from serious injuries inflicted by bullies spread quickly on social media – only now police say it was never true, according to KOMO.
According to KOMO, detectives “developed information” that the child’s description of the assault might not be truthful.
“The injuries sustained by the child are the result of a fall, which occurred at the apartment complex on the date in question, not an assault,” Olympia Police said Thursday in a statement. “As a result, there are no suspects of any age.”
Last Wednesday, the boy’s mother said she came home to find him sitting outside the house covered in blood.
She said her son told her that bullies had attacked a friend, and, when he stood up to them, they turned on him – pelting him with rocks and sticks, then rubbing sawdust in his eyes. The boy later underwent surgery to repair his eye. He also suffered a broken arm and had cuts and bruises across his face.
Police initially said they suspected a 5-year-old might have been involved, but that he was too young to file charges.
However, after speaking again with the injured boy, police say the 6-year-old admitted to lying about what happened, according to KOMO.
It’s not clear how the boy fell, and police say they have asked social services to “ensure the continued welfare of the child involved.”