GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Prosecutors say charges have been dropped against a man accused of urinating on a 5-year-old black girl in western Michigan because children made up the story.

The Kent County Prosecutor’s Office said Friday the charges were dropped after authorities determined the children made up the story “to avoid trouble.” It says one child urinated on another child and they concocted the story.

The girl’s parents called Grand Rapids police on Wednesday evening and reported that a roughly 60-year-old white man had urinated on her and called her a racial slur about 20 minutes earlier. Police say they canvased the neighborhood and identified as suspect, who was taken into custody after he arrived at his home.

Police said at the time another 5-year-old and two 7-year-old children witnessed what happened.

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