Seminole high student lied about being stabbed on way to bus stop, deputies say

Teen's stab wounds were self-inflicted, deputies say

CASSELBERRY, Fla. – A 14-year-old girl who said she was stabbed Friday morning while walking to her Seminole County high school bus stop was not telling the truth, as Seminole County deputies said the girl's stab wound was actually self-inflicted. 

The girl said she was walking near Sterling Park Elementary School in Casselberry when a man she did not know approached and stabbed her, Seminole County Public School spokesman Michael Lawrence said.

Deputies spent Friday searching near Daneswood Way and Elf Stone Drive for the man the teen said attacked her, until they later found out the girl had actually hurt herself.

"There was no crime that had occurred, we are not looking for a suspect any longer and we want the residents to know that this is a safe area as it had been before," Kim Cannaday, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff's Office said.

The teen was taken to a hospital for what deputies called "superficial wounds."

Neighbors and school officials were extremely concerned following the alleged stabbing.

Michelle Bracero said her daughter, who is in 5th grade at a nearby school, rides her bike to school every day, but she dropped her off Friday after hearing the teen's story.

"It's very nerve-racking," Bracero said. "My daughter is 10 years old and she bikes to school every day by herself with her friends - so I think that's going to stop for a little while."

"We ask that all our Casselberry families that have students that ride the bus, walk or bike to school to be extra vigilant this morning," Lawrence said.

Lawrence said the victim does not go to school in the Casselberry area, but that she attends a magnet school and takes the bus from Casselberry to her high school. 

A voice message was sent out to parents and guardians, before deputies discovered the story was not true, informing them of the alleged incident. [Listen to that call below.]

Seminole County Sheriff's Office personnel said they were initially told that the girl had earbuds in and took them out as she approached the bus stop and saw a man there.

"A male who was very close upon her, at that point a struggle took place, there was a physical altercation, but she was able to get away," Cannaday said.

Deputies did not say how they discovered that the teen stabbed herself or whether she was expected to face charges. 

"We encourage parents to have those open conversations with their children," Cannaday said. "We want them to talk to them, monitor their social media, monitor their phones, and just keep the lines of communication open that way you can be queued into something and provide that person some help before it comes to something like this nature."

No other details were immediately available.

This is a breaking news story. Check back to ClickOrlando.com and watch News 6 for developments.


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