BUTLER TWP — A township woman is accused of lying on the witness stand at a court hearing last month.

Allysa M. Stefanowicz, 21, initially told authorities that her boyfriend assaulted her. At his preliminary hearing, however, she recanted the allegations.

But a day after the hearing, Stefanowicz allegedly admitted to Butler Township police that she had lied during her testimony.

She now is facing her own preliminary hearing Jan. 18 on a felony charge of perjury.

Police said they first spoke to Stefanowicz following a reported domestic dispute Sept. 18 at her apartment on Old Plank Road.

She claimed Ewari W. Ellis, 34, of Coraopolis, Allegheny County, punched her in the nose and choked her with both hands, according to court documents. She said she got away and went to a neighbor's home to call 911.

Police said Stefanowicz had bruising on both sides of the neck and swelling and redness around the left eye.

When officers checked her apartment, Ellis was gone. The couple's 15-month-old child was unharmed in a crib. Police said they believe Ellis took off, leaving the infant alone, after Stefanowicz fled for help.

Officers a short time later found Ellis walking on Litman Road. He was carrying two allegedly stolen cell phones — one belonging to Stefanowicz and the other to a Coraopolis man.

Police charged him with aggravated assault, child endangerment, simple assault, theft and receiving stolen property.

But at Ellis' Oct. 5 preliminary hearing at the office of District Judge Kevin O'Donnell, Stefanowicz denied that Ellis had choked or hit her.

She was called to testify by her boyfriend's attorney, public defendant Kimberly Hudak.

In her testimony, documents said, she claimed the injuries she suffered were “from sex.”

O'Donnell ordered Ellis held for court on charges of child endangerment, theft and receiving stolen property. But the charges of aggravated assault and simple assault were dismissed.

On Oct. 6, police were called to another apartment on Old Plank Road for a reported theft. While investigating the case, police said, they spoke to Stefanowicz, who made “unsolicited statements” about the hearing.

She stated that “she knows she lied while she was testifying,” documents said, “but (Ellis) did assault her (Sept. 18).”

Stefanowicz claimed she was “in a hard place” and still defended Ellis as being “a good father to her child.”

O'Donnell on Monday arraigned her on the perjury charge. She is free on her own recognizance while awaiting her preliminary hearing Jan. 18.