Bethany Storro Speaks Out, Recounts Agonizing Pain of Vancouver Acid Attack

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

Bethany Storro (CBS/AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. (CBS/KOIN/AP) Bethany Storro, the victim of an acid attack on Monday in Vancouver, Ore., spoke out for the first time since her face was burned by an unknown suspect.

PICTURES: Bethany Storro, Acid Attack Victim

She had just bought a pair of sunglasses and was celebrating a new job when a woman walked up to her with a cup and said: "Hey pretty girl, do you want to drink this?"

The woman then splashed acid from the cup onto Storro, who stumbled in pain and fell to the ground screaming. She felt agonizing pain as the skin on her face bubbled and sizzled and portions of her blouse disintegrated.

"It was the most painful thing ever," Storro, 28, said Thursday. "My heart stopped. It ripped through my clothing the instant it touched my shirt; I could feel it burning through my second layer of skin."

Police are seeking the woman in the Monday attack as Storro, with her head wrapped in white bandages, recounted Thursday how only days before, she had been celebrating a new job and a recent move to Vancouver, Washington, from Idaho. The reports were carried by The Oregonian newspaper and KGW-TV.

Bethany Storro (AP Photo)

But she insisted that she would not let the attack in Vancouver wreck her life, and laughingly marveled how her eyesight was spared just minutes after she bought those sunglasses.

PICTURES: Bethany Storro, Acid Attack Victim

Storro said she had spinal meningitis twice as a child, which robbed her of most of her hearing.

"Oh my gosh, to be hard of hearing and blind? That would drive them nuts," she said, laughing and pointing at her parents, Joe and Nancy Neuwelt. "They have to be in the same room for me to hear them. I'm just so glad it's a miracle."

Doctors at Legacy Emanuel Hospital in Portland performed surgery on Storro's face Wednesday night, removing dead skin from the areas that were most deeply injured.

Her mother said Storro was getting something out of her car before heading into a Starbucks when the woman approached her with the cup. Storro told police the attacker was a black woman with slicked-back hair in a ponytail, wearing a green top and khaki pants.

"I have never, ever seen this girl in my entire life," Storro said. "When I first saw her, she had this weirdness about her - like jealousy, rage."

After the attack, the woman ran off. A passer-by called police using Storro's cell phone.

Dr. Nick Eshraghi, a burn surgeon who operated on Storro, said it was an acid as strong as hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

Storro said she wanted to find her assailant and ask: "Why?" Was it was a dare, or did the woman wake up Monday morning and tell herself that today, she was going to "carry some acid in a cup and throw it on the first person I see?" Storro said.

Storro said she has received letters and e-mails from people all over the country, and has been relying on her friends, family and faith to get her through this ordeal.

Nancy Neuwelt called the attack "an act of evil." Joe Neuwelt said the family hopes the attacker is found, but is focused on Storro's recovery.

"You can imagine how I feel," Joe Neuwelt said. "This is my little girl. We're going to get through this we're not going to allow this to stop our lives. We're going to get through it."

Complete Coverage of Bethany Storro on Crimesider.

17 Photos

Bethany Storro: Vancouver Acid Attack Victim

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by Poster2 September 16, 2010 8:11 PM EDT: Really, Poster1? You think this should be looked at as a hate crime? All crimes are "hate crimes" genius. No one commits a crime against someone out of love. Do you even understand the terms of a hate crime in regards to a racist act? Hate crimes are pretty well defined and no it doesn't mean someone of one race commits a crime against someone of another race. And it finally surfaces that this entire story was a hoax and that Bethany Storro threw the acid on herself. http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/09/16/police-washington-woman-admits-acid-attack-was-a-hoax/

Also, why is it "especially" sad just because she had meningitis as a child and is slightly hard of hearing? That's implying that she's less than human or not normal. It would have been a sad act no matter who she was or what her background was. Thanks for the pearls of wisdom, Poster1 a.k.a. Dr. Asinine Logic.; Reply to this comment

by Poster1 September 3, 2010 11:42 AM EDT

I think they should look at this as a hate crime since she did not know her attacker and that her attacker was of a different race, angry with her, and yet had this acid in a cup ready to hit someone with it, so it was a premeditated act-not a random act of violence. Since Canada is so liberal, I doubt they will solve this crime. It is sad especially since the victim has a pre-existing disability. She may have medical complications in the future, her skin may become infected or suffer nerve damage.

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by LCoaster September 3, 2010 12:14 PM EDT: I believe that is Vancouver, WA USA. It happens to be pretty conservative for WA standards, so I guess that means it will be solved, right? See, it's so simple!