BARNEGAT – An anonymous post circulating on social media this week has prompted confirmation from Barnegat Township police that a report of an alleged sexual assault was taken earlier this month.
The post, shared in a local Facebook group by a woman identifying herself as 31, claims that she and a 51-year-old friend were drugged and sexually assaulted by a man in Barnegat Township on February 9. The author described significant physical injuries, including bite marks, and said both women filed police reports and underwent forensic examinations.
The post does not name a suspect but alleges that the individual is active on Facebook’s dating platform. The writer urged other women to “be careful” and said she was sharing the information to promote safety.
Barnegat Township Police Chief Jason Carroll confirmed that a report related to the matter had been taken and that the case has been referred to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
However, Carroll declined to comment on specific claims made in the social media post, including statements about how long DNA results may take, whether charges would be filed, or how long a potential case could take to reach trial.
“I do not need to dispel or confirm rumor that somebody put on the internet from the comfort of their own home,” Carroll told Jersey Shore Online. “You know, we don’t know who put that on there, and it’s there’s somebody, I would encourage anybody that has any information or complaints, they come to the police department and not go to Facebook.”
Carroll emphasized that allegations of this nature are handled through formal investigative channels and, in this instance, have been forwarded to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office for review.
As of press time, no charges have been publicly announced.
Authorities routinely encourage anyone with information about a potential crime to contact law enforcement directly rather than relying on social media posts, which may lack verification and can complicate ongoing investigations.
Anyone with information related to this matter is urged to contact the Barnegat Township Police Department or the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
