According to BBC reports, an American woman who was found emaciated and tied to a tree in an Indian forest is now claiming that she committed the crime herself, although she initially blamed her husband.

Lalita Kayi Kumar, 50, was found on July 27 by a shepherd who said they heard her cries in the forest, according to police in a district 280 miles from Mumbai, India, per Deccan Chronicle, The times of London and the Indian Express.

She was tied to a tree with an iron chain, The Hindustan Times was reported at the time, citing the police.

Photos of her alleged dramatic rescue, published in several news agencies, show the woman in ragged clothing, emaciated and with one leg tied to a tree.

Next to her, police reportedly found copies of her U.S. passport, which showed an expired Indian visa, her address in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and medical prescriptions, police said. Deccan Chronicle and that Indian Express was reported at the time.

After being admitted to the hospital, she told police and health authorities in a written note that she had not eaten anything for 40 days after her husband allegedly left her there to die, according to a video published by India Today.

Her allegations have led to an investigation into attempted murder, police said.

Now, almost two weeks later, Kumar allegedly admitted to tying himself to the tree, according to BBC reports.

Saurabh Agarwal, the district superintendent investigating the case, also told the BBC that Kumar reportedly said she was neither married nor tied to the tree by her “husband”.

According to police, she also claimed she was suffering from hallucinations. She had previously stated in her note to police that her jaw was locked due to an “injection for extreme psychosis.”

US woman found chained to tree in forest

Kumar allegedly said, according to police, that she made up the story because she was worried about her expired visa. She further claimed her stress was caused by her finances – so she bought chains and locks to tie herself to the tree, police claim, according to the BBC.

Want to stay up to date with the latest crime reports? Sign up for PEOPLE Free true crime newsletter with breaking crime news, ongoing trials and details of exciting unsolved cases.

Authorities had already questioned their claims early in the investigation, saying it was unlikely that anyone could survive for 40 days without food, according to the BBC. MedLine Plus, a health information website run by the NIH National Library of Medicine, explains: “Without water consumption, people would die within days.”

Local doctors told the BBC that Kumar’s health was improving and that she was in contact with her family. It was initially unclear whether charges would be brought against her.