Good Morning America weather girl ‘falsely cried rape’
By ANIThursday, December 16, 2010
LONDON - A television weather girl has been suspended after police claimed the lady brewed the whole rape story.
Heidi Jones, a meteorologist for WABC and Channel 7 who often fills in on ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’, told police that she had been sexually assaulted in New York’s Central Park while out jogging in September.
But after police spotted discrepancies in the 37-year-old’s story they confronted her - and she allegedly admitted that she had made up the attack.
She was charged with filing a false report, a Class A misdemeanour, reports the Daily Mail.
If convicted of lying, Jones could face up to a year in jail, or be fined 1,000 dollars (640 pounds).
She is also facing losing her job from WABC, where she has worked since 2005.
She informed police on November 24 that she was jogging in the famous park on the afternoon of September 24 when a Hispanic man grabbed her from behind.
According to her account the man, in his 30s or 40s, dragged her into a wooded area and attempted to rape her.
She told police that the would-be rapist was scared off by two passers-by, who came to her aid.
But police were curious to find out why the weather girl had taken two months to report the crime.
According to New York Post she had told police that three days earlier, on November 21, the same man somehow found her again and harassed her and said: “I know you went to the police.”
After police took down her version of events, detectives conducted a lengthy investigation, canvassing the area for video and witnesses.
But they came up empty-handed. A source told the New York Daily News that police believe Jones was trying to paint a picture of a stalker - but keeping the information as vague as possible.
Officers went to talk to Jones again - and noticed more inconsistencies in her story, the sources said.
After being confronted with the discrepancies, the New York Post’s source said Jones admitted that she had made up the story.
Jones allegedly said her relationship was not going well and that she concocted the tale in a plea for sympathy, reports the Daily News. (ANI)