The Embree family emailed 17 News about rumors of a serial rapist on the loose in the quiet mountain town of Lake Isabella.
The Embrees are just one of many families concerned, and now the Sheriff's Department is trying to put down fears and rumors by explaining only one woman has been raped. Also, Deputies say a photograph sent out to cell phones is fake.
Katie Embree has heard about six different rumors of young women being attacked and raped.
"They said that they found a 15-year-old girl raped and stabbed to death," Embree said describing the most violent rumor. "And they found her body in the flume."
The Sheriff's Department said there is no truth to that story, but the rumors have been life-changing for Embree. She works the late shift, and at closing time, she now runs for her car in fear.
"I unlock the driver's side, get in and lock the whole thing," Embree told 17 News.
Her mother Sandi has heard rumors of several rapes in town and now she doesn't know how to separate fact from fiction.
"A lot of people are very comfortable in this area," Sandi Embree said. "And they think, 'Oh, hogwash, things aren't going to happen.' But things do happen here."
Also putting the Embrees on edge is a text message describing the suspect. The Kern County Sheriff's Department in Lake Isabella says the picture and description are fake.
"There's so many different rumors floating around now that we're just trying to squash those rumors and continue with the one investigation that is ongoing," Senior Deputy Scott Lopez said.
The Sheriff's Department confirms one assault did happen in the Lake Isabella area but won't say where it happened because it's an ongoing investigation.
However, a local dentist told 17 News it happened near Claire Street and Erskine Creek Road, in the central part of town.
"A lady was coming from work from the shopping center, was walking past here and she was raped here and assaulted and we talked the police department about that one," Dr. Denny Rushton said.
Dr. Rushton's office backs up the the alley, and he said he isn't taking any chances.
"I'm keeping a firearm here at the office now which I had never done that before ever," Rushton explained. "And I'm walking girls from the office to their cars."
Although the Sheriff's Department says only one rape has been reported, the suspect is still on the loose.
"We have not determined that there's a credible threat to the public at this time however any time you leave the house you should take precautions of where you go, who you're with and the type of places you frequent," Senior Deputy Lopez said.
The Sheriff's Department describes the suspect as a white male, around 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds. If you have any information you are urged to call senior deputy Lopez at 760-549-2100.
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