Ashley Todd

PITTSBURGH — A McCain campaign volunteer admitted Friday she made up a story of being robbed, pinned to the ground and having the letter "B" scratched on her face in a politically inspired attack, police said.

On her third day of questioning, Ashley Todd, a 20-year-old college student from College Station, Texas, "just opened up and said she wanted to tell the truth," said Maurita Bryant, assistant chief of the police investigations division.

Todd could provide no explanation for why she invented the story. The woman told investigators she believes she cut the "B" onto her own cheek, but did not provide an explanation of how or why and said she doesn't remember doing so, police said.

Police said the woman reported suffering from "mental problems" in the past, and that they do not believe anyone put her up to the act.

Dressed in an orange hooded sweat shirt, Todd left police headquarters in handcuffs late Friday and did not respond to questions from reporters. The mark on her face was faded and her left eye was only slightly blackened when she arrived in district court, where police charged her with making a false police report.

Todd was awaiting arraignment Friday on the misdemeanor false report charge, which is punishable by up to two years in prison.

Assistant Allegheny County District Attorney Mark Tranquilli said she will remain jailed over the weekend pending a psychiatric evaluation, which won't happen until Monday at the earliest.

She will be housed in a mental health unit at the county jail for her safety and because of "her not insignificant mental health issues," Tranquilli said.

Todd, who is white, told police she was attacked Wednesday night by a dark-skinned 6-foot-4 black man wearing patent leather shoes. Bryant said the robbery and attack never occurred, and the assailant doesn't exist.

Police said they doubted her story from the start — in part because the "B" on her face was backward.

"We have robbers here in Pittsburgh, but they don't generally mutilate someone's face like that," Bryant said. "They just take the money and run."

Todd initially told investigators she was attempting to use a bank branch ATM when the man approached her from behind, put a knife with a 4- to 5-inch blade to her throat and demanded money. She told police she handed the assailant $60 and walked away.

Todd told investigators that she suspected the man then noticed a John McCain sticker on her car, became angry and punched her in the back of the head, knocking her to the ground and telling her "you are going to be a Barack supporter," police said.

She said he continued to punch and kick her while threatening "to teach her a lesson for being a McCain supporter," police said. She said he then sat on her chest, pinned her hands down with his knees and scratched a backward letter "B" into her face with a dull knife.

Todd told police she didn't seek medical attention, but instead went to a friend's apartment nearby and called police about 45 minutes later.

Todd worked in New York for the College Republican National Committee before moving two weeks ago to Pennsylvania, where her duties included recruiting college students, the committee's executive director, Ethan Eilon, has said.