SURFSIDE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – Fewer than 36 hours after a woman reported she had been brutally attacked and raped while walking on the sand in Surfside Beach Sunday morning, police say they are seeking a warrant against the woman for filing a false police report.
Lt. Raul Denis with Horry County Police says officers are seeking a warrant against the alleged victim of a brutal rape by multiple attackers for filing a false police report of a felony. Lt. Denis says the woman recanted her statement Monday afternoon, but police would not expand upon the reason the woman withdrew her previous story.
Officers responded to a residence on South Kings Highway in Surfside Beach for a rape Sunday morning.
The victim told police the assault happened near the Holiday Inn on the beach. The victim’s family members reached out to News13 to provide additional details on the incident. The family says they want to get as much information as possible out to hopefully catch whoever is responsible.
A family member says the woman was assaulted around 5:00 a.m. while out on her morning run. The family told News13 several men attacked the woman from behind. Police have not confirmed if multiple men were involved.
A police report obtained by News13 details how the victim took officers to the place where she was reportedly raped, the Ocean Lakes beach access. The victim explained to police that she decided to go walking on the beach, and was on the beach access when her head was grabbed from behind and she was pushed face down into the sand.
The report goes on to say that the victim often walked on the beach “because it was a place for relaxation.” She also told officers that she “felt like someone had been watching and keeping track of her” as she was walking Sunday morning.
Officers document that the victim said there were multiple attackers, and the rapists were laughing extremely hard and calling her names during the assault. The victim never saw the attackers and could not give a description, according to the police report.
The family says the victim was treated at a local hospital and is now at home. Horry County Police continue to investigate this case and ask that anyone with information please call 843-915-8477. Anonymous information can be left on the tip line.
