A 16-year-old girl used food coloring to make fake blood in an attempt to convince police that her ex-boyfriend had assaulted her, Hackettstown police said.

She was charged with disorderly conduct, filing fictitious reports and incriminating another falsely.

Hackettstown police give this account: At 10:55 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, Mansfield Township police went to the Mansfield Village Apartment to investigate an alleged assault. The officers spoke to a 16-year-old girl, who said she was 19. She told them that her 20-year-old ex-boyfriend had assaulted her at her residence in Hackettstown. The girl had red stains on her outer clothing and said that it was blood from the assault, police said.

After an investigation, police report that girl had made up the crime and lied about her name and her age. She allegedly admitted to using food coloring for the blood on her clothing. The ex-boyfriend was not around the girl the night of the alleged crime, police said.

The girl was charged in Hackettstown and Mansfield Township and released to her parent pending a court appearance. The Hackettstown and Mansfield police worked jointly on the investigation.