Nun who reported knife attack found to have self-inflicted the injuries

A nun who reported being attacked by a knife-wielding assailant was found to have inflicted the wounds on herself, police said Tuesday.

The alleged incident occurred Friday and quickly drew media attention. On Monday, after being discharged from the hospital, the nun filed a criminal complaint against an unknown perpetrator, accusing them of attempted serious bodily harm.

Several outlets had already reported that a male attacker had injured the woman, prompting the government to issue a statement Saturday. Authorities said police and health care workers had taken “all necessary measures” to investigate the crime and treat the victim. The Ministry of Education added that a mental health crisis team had been put on standby, as the nun is also a teacher at a primary school in the capital.

In her police report, the nun said an unknown person approached her and attacked her with a knife. She then sought treatment at a Zagreb hospital for minor injuries.

Police soon began to suspect the story was false. Their investigation confirmed that the 35-year-old woman had purchased a knife earlier that day.

The nun, a member of the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, will face criminal charges for falsely reporting a crime.