A 6-year-old Olympia Boy Who Claimed That He Was Beaten Up By Bullies Lied

OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A 6-year-old Olympia boy whose story of being beaten up by young bullies went viral this week wasn't beaten up after all, investigators say.

Detectives with the Olympia Police Department said they developed information that the boy's story wasn't holding up and the injuries might not have been from an attack. They confirmed those suspicions Thursday.

"The injuries sustained by the child are the result of a fall, which occurred at the apartment complex on the date in question, not an assault," Olympia Police said in a news release Thursday. "As a result, there are no suspects of any age."

The boy's mother said she found her son injured last Wednesday, and that he claimed he stood up to a group of kids who were bullying his friend. He was then beaten with rocks and sticks, kicked, and had sawdust rubbed in his eyes, the boy claimed.

The boy suffered a broken arm, and several cuts and bruises to his face, and had to have surgery to repair a cut above his eye, the mother told KOMO News in an interview last Friday.

The story captured the nation's attention as to the dangers of bullying. A GoFundMe site that had been set up for the family's medical expenses reached over $45,000 before donations were stopped.

Appropriate social services have been notified to ensure the continued welfare of the child involved. Investigators say no charges will be filed due to the boy's age. They also said they have no reason to believe the boy's mom lied.

Police didn't give any further details about how the boy fell.  (KOMO 4 News, August 30, 2018)
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The child suffered fairly serious injuries as a result of what is now being reported as a fall. He then makes up a lie about being attacked by bullies who beat him with rocks and sticks, kicked him, and rubbed sawdust in his eyes, because he was attempting to defend a friend who was also being bullied.

This seems to be a very complex story for a 6-year-old who has just fallen and broken his arm to run home and tell his mother. There may still be more to this story that is yet unknown...