Pocono News Section

Woman Charged for Lying About Rape

Woman Charged for Lying About Rape - Thursday, August 27, 2009 at 5:30PM EST

Reported by: Laurie Monteforte
Thursday, Aug 27, 2009 @ 05:30pm EST
BARTONSVILLE, MONROE COUNTY - A woman who police say lied about being raped is facing charges. Earlier this month Laura Gruver told police someone raped her in broad daylight at East Stroudsburg University. But the 22 year old Bethlehem woman admitted it was all a lie. Now she's facing misdemeanor charges.

To many East Stroudsburg University students, the story seemed unbelievable from the very beginning. Amy Patterson said, "I thought it sounded a little strange."

Laura Gruver said she prayed as she walked through the parking lot area known as "The Pit." She told police she felt something bad might happen. Then she said a man grabbed her, put a knife to her throat, dragged her into the woods and raped her.

ESU Student Bree Kelly said, "Everyone was pretty scared on campus about that."

Gruver described in graphic detail what the man supposedly said and did to her in the wooded area. Police said she seemed believable. She even helped officers make a sketch of a suspect. But she later admitted she made up the whole story. Student Brandon Chorba said, "I think lying gives the campus a bad name."

Gruver told police she lied because she had personal problems. They include failing out of two schools. Student Joseph Klebon said, "I don't feel bad for her at all. That's her own decision what she did and she has to live with that."

Many students wondered what impact the lies could have on real rape victims. Patterson said, "People are going to question her. Is she telling the truth or is she just making it up for attention?"

Though they're made about the fraud, students said they're glad there is not, and never was, a violent rapist lurking around campus. Kelly said, "Now that I know it was all fraud I look back and I had nothing to be scared at at all."

Eyewitness News tried to get Gruver's side of the story but the woman who answered the phone at her house hung up on the reporter.