Last week, a 12-year-old black girl accused three white students of pinning her down and cutting her dreadlocks. Now, according to the school, the young girl has admitted that her claims were completely fabricated.
“We can now confirm that the student who accused three of her classmates of assault has acknowledged that the allegations were false,” Stephen Danish, head of Immanuel Christian School, said on Monday.
In the incident, which sparked nationwide outrage, 12-year-old Amari Allen said the three white boys at the Virginia school, pinned her to a playground slide before chopping off her dreads. She said the boys held her hands behind her back, covered her mouth, and cut her hair, as they called it “ugly” and “nappy.”
But, after further investigation, Allen took it all back.
According to Allen’s aunt, Lakeisha, the young girl did get into a verbal dispute with the boys, but she “embellished the story,” with her claims of an attack.
“We are so embarrased, and we are so sorry,” Lakeisha told CNN. “To those boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused,” the family added in a statement.
“To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school,” the statement continued. “To the broader community, who rallied in such passionate support for our daughter, we apologize for betraying your trust.”
“we understand there will be consequences, and we’re prepared to take responsibility for them. We know that it will take time to heal, and we hope and pray that the boys, their families, the school, and the broader community will be able to forgive us in time.”
