'Fake' sexual assault report lands Kentucky teen in court

An 18-year-old woman in Kentucky has been charged after police say she falsely reported being sexually assaulted in a Walmart bathroom, triggering police investigation.

Autumn L. Tomlin was arrested on Tuesday and faces one count of felony false reporting of an incident, according to the Glasgow Police Department via Law & Crime.

Officers responded to a call to the Walmart Supercenter on Happy Valley Road on 4 February after Tomlin told authorities she had been sexually assaulted inside the store's bathroom.

Patrol officers and detectives quickly launched what police described as a thorough investigation, treating the allegation with 'the seriousness such claims demand.'

But as detectives rushed to gather digital or physical evidence, they said the findings 'refuted the legitimacy' of the report.

Police did not disclose further details about the alleged false claims.

In a statement, the department stressed that sexual assault allegations are handled carefully and said false reports can have wider consequences.

"Allegations of this nature are incredibly serious and need to be thoroughly investigated," the statement said, adding that false claims can harm real victims and make them reluctant to come forward.

Tomlin was booked into the Hart County Jail on Tuesday and released the following day. She is scheduled to appear in court on 16 March, as per court records.