Double fake news! 'Hate crime' used to attack Karen Pence a hoax

Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, speaking at CPAC 2015 in Washington, DC. (Gage Skidmore)

An alleged hate crime that was used to smear second lady Karen Pence has turned out to be a hoax.

The family of a 12-year-old black girl who claimed she was attacked at a Virginia Christian school where Karen Pence teaches admitted Monday the girl made up the racially charged claim, the Washington Free Beacon reported.

The claim became a national story after the girl told her grandmother Wednesday that three boys in her grade at Springfield's Immanuel Christian School used the term "nappy" while they held her down and cut her dreadlocks.

The Free Beacon pointed out that major news outlets spotlighted the fact that Vice President Mike Pence's wife is an art teacher at the school.

The NBC News headline read "3 boys at Christian school where Karen Pence teaches allegedly cut black girl's dreadlocks."

The Daily Beast ran a subhed that stated the supposed assailants "called the 12-year-old girl’s hair ‘ugly' and ‘nappy' while attacking her during recess at Immanuel Christian School—where Karen Pence currently teaches art."

The girl's family released a statement of apology on Monday.

"To those young boys and their parents, we sincerely apologize for the pain and anxiety these allegations have caused," they wrote. "To the administrators and families of Immanuel Christian School, we are sorry for the damage this incident has done to trust within the school family and the undue scorn it has brought to the school. To the broader community, who rallied in such passionate support for our daughter, we apologize for betraying your trust."

The Free Beacon noted that some of the journalists who made the story about the Pence family have not similarly apologized.

Only the Daily Beast, New York Times and Washington Post have posted updates about the hoax, the Free Beacon said.