Whitesville assault case allegedly fabricated

DAVIESS COUNTY, Ky. (WEHT) — For the past several weeks, Whitesville residents have been waiting for answers after 29-year-old Kylen Edge claimed she assaulted while at work alone. However, authorities are saying the alleged assault never happened.

“I am glad to report that a young woman was not attacked in our community,” Daviess County Sheriff Brad Youngman said. “There is not and never was a danger to the public and the truth was able to be discovered.”

A case that has kept the Daviess County community on high alert, has now closed. But the result, left the alleged victim behind bars. Edge says she was attacked while working at the Rooster’s Crow earlier this month.

The alleged assault brought the community together, in an attempt to identify and locate Edge’s assailant. However as progress moved forward, investigators turned the attention on Edge after details in her stories were not adding up.

“One of the first inconsistencies we uncovered — determined that there was no way she lost consciousness and no way that she suffered a head injury,” Sheriff Youngman said. “Ultimately she did admit that the attack did not occur and that she caused her own injuries and staged the crime scene prior to the report being made.”

Sheriff Youngman says the initial report involved allegations of assault, burglary and rape. While authorities say Edge’s claims were fabricated, sexual assault support experts say research shows only 2-8% of reports turn out to be false.

“It is very hard to report a sexual assault,” Sheriff Youngman said. “Do not let this become an obstacle for your healing and your pursuit of justice. Our sheriff’s office for the size that we are have tremendous resources for investigating sexual assaults. Do not let this get in the way.”

Both law enforcement and Whitesville city officials say this case has kept residents uneasy — believing there was an attacker on the loose.

“I had people come to my office and say that they don’t feel safe,” Ohio County Sheriff Adam Wright said. “They would walk in and some even went so far as to say they changed their sleeping pattern.”

“There were really scared but right now I think they’re going to feel at ease now,” Whitesville Mayor Patsy Mayfield said.

Sheriff Youngman says Edge’s motive for fabricating the story has not been determined and she has since been released on a $250 bond.