JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A young teenager who said she was dragged into the woods by a man and forced to perform a sex act early Friday morning has recanted her story, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
JSO Assistant Chief Scott Dingee said the girl was interviewed and given a forensic exam by the child protection team. She was not physically injured.
"Detectives have been working the case since about 5 in the morning," Dingee said. "We do have evidence that we've collected that we are processing and are looking for additional witnesses."
Dingee said there was no reason to suspect the incident was connected to an Aug. 10 attack on an 8-year-old girl in woods off University Boulevard North. That attack remains unsolved.
Police have added patrols in Arlington and are contacting all known sexual offenders in the area. They were also notifying school board police to take precautions.
"Any case is concerning to us. One case is one too many," Dingee said. "We certainly understand the concern of parents in the area."
Police said the victim was out walking late Thursday night after she got into a fight with her mother. She walked about 3 miles to a relative's house near the intersection of Ft. Caroline Road and Townsend Boulevard.
The relative offered to drive her home, police said, but the girl refused, and as she was walking back about 12:30 a.m., a man across the street yelled, "Come here," a couple times. She said she ignored him and kept walking, but he ran across the street, dragged her into the woods, forced her to take of her shirt and perform the sex act.
When the man let her go, she walked home and told her mother about the attack. The mother called police about 2:30 a.m.
Asked if the teenager's story is believable, Dingee said they have "some investigative concerns."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.