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Woman who claimed she lost unborn baby in mass shooting wasn't really pregnant, Colerain police say

Nine people were shot at gender reveal party
Posted at 9:26 AM, Jul 17, 2017
and last updated 2017-07-17 19:30:58-04

COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- A woman did not lose an unborn child during a mass shooting at a gender reveal party as she'd led some to believe, police said Monday.

The woman, Cheyanne Willis, was not pregnant at the time, police spokesman Jim Love said. He said police would let a prosecutor determine whether she should face charges.

Police Chief Mark Denney said it's just one example of how much time investigators have "wasted following leads known to be lies."

"From the very beginning of this investigation, we have met significant resistance that is uncommon from victims of crime wanting a resolution," Denney said.

 

Denney said he wasn't trying to embarrass anyone by revealing the fake pregnancy, but wanted to give the public "a fair understanding of the challenges we have faced in the past nine days."

"The Colerain Police Department will not comment further on any other misleading information, other than to say we wish our time had been spent on true leads that would help us remove these dangerous criminals from the streets."

RELATED: Everything we know about Colerain party shooting

Willis did not respond Monday to a request for comment.

The gender reveal party, held July 8 at a home on Capstan Drive, was for her. It's a kind of baby shower, in which an expectant parent or parents share the sex of their unborn child.

 

Police believe two gunmen entered through the front door and fired 14 rounds while partygoers watched a movie.

Autum Garrett, 22, of Huntington, Indiana, was killed. The victims included five other adults and three children, ages 2, 6 and 8. They have been recovering. The gunfire also injured a dog.

READ MORE: Report reveals new details in Colerain shooting

The gunmen did not say anything, a police report said, and they did not demand any property. They ran off into the night.

 

Willis spoke off-camera with WCPO's reporter and photographer outside the home the next morning; she was using crutches and claimed she lost her pregnancy after she was shot in the leg. Family friends also told reporters she'd been expecting.

A police report says officers recovered an unloaded handgun from the home's front yard; Denney told WCPO there was no shootout. He said he thought the renter owns the gun.

No one has been arrested, and police haven't identified any suspects. An anonymous donor has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to arrests.

Anyone with information can call 513-321-COPS or text 513-470-7165, a special line set up for this case.