Woman, 22, accused of fabricating kidnap story

4/6/2005

A South Toledo woman was charged with falsification after she lied to a Lucas County grand jury about being forced into a vehicle by a man last month and taken to another location.

Monica Boyd, 22, was charged with the misdemeanor offense Monday in Toledo Municipal Court. She was booked into the county jail and released. She failed to appear for arraignment yesterday, and a court magistrate issued a warrant for her arrest.

This is the fourth recent publicized case in the area in which a victim has recanted part or all of her story in regard to a crime.

Police said Ms. Boyd told a grand jury March 28 she was kidnapped March 15. She later admitted that her statement, made under oath, was not truthful, according to court records. Investigators yesterday said she willingly went with the man.

She initially told police she was walking home from a store in the Western Avenue-Hawley Street area when a man pulled up in his car, asked for directions, grabbed her by her hair, and pulled her into his car. She said he drove her to his home, sexually assaulted her, and released her on the south side.

Less than 12 hours later, police charged Lee A. Bean, 49, of North Toledo with one count each of kidnapping and rape for the incident. Investigators said the charges are expected to be dismissed at his next appearance in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, set for April 12.

Last month Cassandra Livingston, 22, admitted fabricating a story about being stabbed on the University of Toledo campus. The same month, an 11-year-old East Toledo girl withdrew allegations that she was abducted at knifepoint, driven around East Toledo, and choked until she was unconscious.

In February April Hughes, 29, was sentenced for filing a false police report after she told police she was abducted and fondled by a Michigan man in November. She later recanted her story.

Sgt. George Kral said detectives spend as much time investigating false allegations as they do actual crimes.