LOS ANGELES - It's a picture of undeniable pain and heartbreak.
A harrowing image of Rihanna with deep bruises on either side of her forehead, blackened areas around her eyes and what appears to be blood at the corners of her mouth was posted Wednesday night on the celebrity gossip site TMZ.com.
The picture matches descriptions of a police photo taken after the "Umbrella" singer's alleged assault at the hands of boyfriend Chris Brown on Feb. 8, the morning of the Grammys.
Police declined to deny its authenticity but issued a stern statement.
"The LAPD does not and will not release any victim's photos. It's that simple. We have not," said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Jason Lee.
Brown, 19, was arrested on suspicion of making criminal threats while the Grammys carried on without his scheduled appearance. He was released on $50,000 bail.
Police never identified Rihanna, who turns 21 today, as Brown's alleged victim, saying only that an unidentified woman was "visibly injured" when they responded to a 911 call and found her battered and alone on a street in Hancock Park.
Barbados-born Rihanna, a striking beauty regularly photographed with a megawatt smile, has not confirmed the assault publicly but is cooperating with police, a music industry source told the Daily News
Brown issued a statement of apology and said he would seek counseling.
The Los Angeles District Attorney is expected to review the case before Brown's March 5 court date and make a decision on formal charges.
BELOW IS WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE WITH HER SUPERSTAR STATUS... AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS WOULDN'T YOU SAY? FLAWLESS SKIN AND JUST ALL AROUND SEXY AND BEAUTIFUL... How sad that he did that to her...
