On September 23, a 12-year-old girl claimed three of her classmates at Immanuel Christian School in Springfield, Virginia pinned her down during recess, called her names, and cut her dreadlocks.
“They said my hair was nappy and I was ugly,” Amari Allen told News4.
But on Sunday, Amari revealed to her parents that she lied about the incident. She cut her own hair. On Monday the student attended school to apologize.
According to News4, Amari and her parents met with school officials on Monday so the sixth grade student could apologize for accusing three male classmates of making racist comments and cutting her hair with scissors.
Initially, Amari said, “they called me ‘ugly,’ [and] said I shouldn’t have been born.” She also claimed her classmates “ran off laughing.”
It took the 12-year-old several days to report the incident to her parents, and she only mentioned it after her grandmother noticed her hair was shorter.
“My heart just broke,” Amari’s grandfather said. “I was just paralyzed. I couldn’t get myself together.”
Many took Amari’s side when the story broke.
However, during an investigation, security footage revealed Amari’s account could not be true. Despite video evidence against her accusations, the family’s attorney has said Amari is a victim of bullying.
Prior to this new information, Amari’s grandmother, Cynthia Allen, wanted to see the boys who hurt her granddaughter dismissed from school, but now that won’t happen.
“To those young boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused,” the family said in a statement. “To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school.”
Amari has since apologized for making false accusations.
In a separate statement, the school said that while they are glad to learn the truth, “we also feel tremendous pain for the victims and the hurt on both sides of this conflict.”
The family said Amari is receiving counseling after the incident.
I feel very bad for everyone involved.
Won’t you please join me in praying for the healing of those who have been brought into this complicated story?
