A LaFayette woman’s varying reports of a prowler led to rumors of an aggravated assault or break-in and even speculation on a prison escape in LaFayette.

According to LaFayette police reports:

On June 27, between 9:30 and 10 a.m., LaFayette Police Department officers responded to the 700 block of Colerain Street. A woman babysitting two children believed she had seen a man enter the yard.

“Apparently she left the children in the house and traveled a block on foot to make contact with some LaFayette firefighters that were on a (separate) medical call,” detective Stacey Meeks said.

The woman returned to the residence and called 911, saying a prowler was in the yard.

When she was initially interviewed by officers, she said she had not gone outside or had any contact with the prowler.

Sgt. Wesley Steele and patrolman Dustin Clift alternated with interviewing the woman and patrolling a several-block radius for the prowler.

“Her story was different with each officer she spoke with,” Meeks said.

Her description of the man was a white male with blue jeans and a white shirt with a hole in it and that his hair was matted.

She later changed that statement to say the man was wearing a black-and-red baseball cap.

“Her physical description of the suspect changed a couple of times,” Meeks said. “She was inconsistent with her stories and she was acting very excited and with slightly erratic behavior.”

Another version given to an officer alleged the man had a knife in one hand and a crack pipe in the other hand.

The only portion of her story that did not change was that she did not have contact with the man and he did not enter the residence.

She never alleged any type of physical assault to officers.

Officer continued to check the area and interviewed a neighbor, who didn’t see the prowler but did hear the woman screaming in the yard.

The two children were also interviewed by police and could not corroborate the woman’s story.

The homeowner was contacted and took the children to another family member.

No man was found and the woman remained at the residence as police left the scene.

Meeks said that citizens fortunately had nothing to be alarmed about and public safety was never in jeopardy in this situation.