Forum Views () 
Forum Replies ()  
 
 
Read more with google mobile :
Few in Wash. city are angry at acid hoax woman  
 
 
 
 
 
Yahoo!
My Yahoo!
Mail
More Yahoo! Services
Account Options
New User? Sign Up
Sign In
Help
Yahoo! Search
web search
  
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
 
 
 
Africa
Europe
Latin America
Middle East
North America
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Few in Wash. city are angry at acid hoax woman
 
 
  
 
 By NIGEL DUARA,Associated Press Writer -
 Saturday, September 18
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VANCOUVER, Wash. – The scars on her face were real, but her story about being splashed with acid was a horrific hoax.
 
A day after Bethany Storro's revelation turned the victim who drew worldwide sympathy into a curiosity and the object of much derision, few who banded together here to collect money for her medical bills were angry with her on Friday.
 
They were just puzzled: What could bring the 28-year-old grocery store worker to disfigure herself in such a public way, and invent a tale about a black woman assaulting her with a cup of acid?
 
Friend John Pax, whose gym hosted a fundraiser that netted nearly $1,000, said no one has asked for their money back yet. "No one's angry," he said. "We just worry about her."
 
Storro's parents, Joe and Nancy Neuwelt, apologized Friday outside their Vancouver home, saying they were "deeply sorry" and adding that all money donated to their daughter will be returned.
 
Joe Neuwelt said they believed their daughter's account until she admitted to police Thursday that her injuries were self-inflicted. "There was no reason to doubt her at all," he said as he and his wife took turns reading from a statement.
 
Nancy Neuwelt said she doesn't know why her daughter fabricated the story but acknowledged Storro is "obviously dealing with some deep internal emotional and psychological problems."
 
"Now she can begin to heal because the truth has been revealed," her mother said.
 
The Neuwelts said they plan to get their daughter "the medical attention that she needs and the counseling that she deserves."
 
Some in the black community in this leafy city on the banks of the Columbia River were saddened that someone claiming to be a crime victim had again placed an African-American in the role of villain.
 
"I'm not angry at all, and the reason is that this has happened many times before, unfortunately," said Margo Bryant, president of the Vancouver branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
 
Bryant praised the police, and said she didn't hear of any blacks in the area being questioned.
 
"At least (police) were willing to accept that this individual was not telling the truth, or not automatically accept she was telling the truth because she is white," Bryant said.
 
Police on Friday were planning to turn the case over to prosecutors. Storro could face charges of filing a false police report.
 
Storro told police a stranger in a ponytail accosted her near a small park on Aug. 30, uttering the now-infamous words _ "Hey, pretty girl, want something to drink?" _ before scorching her face.
 
Instantly, her tale grabbed the headlines. And only grew when she appeared before reporters, her head bandaged and alongside her parents, to ask a nameless, faceless attacker: Why?
 
Storro said it was only chance and, perhaps, divine providence that led her to purchase a pair of sunglasses just minutes earlier.
 
Umpqua Bank took up a collection to help her pay medical bills, raising "a few thousand" dollars, said bank spokeswoman Lani Hayward. By Friday, no one asked for their donation back, she said.
 
Police grew more suspicious, as inconsistencies in her story began to add up.
 
They searched her home and her car. They wanted to know why no witnesses had seen an assailant. Why didn't the splash pattern of the acid jibe with Storro's account. And, finally, why would Storro be wearing sunglasses just after 7 p.m.?
 
Under questioning, she folded.
 
But the question of her motive remains unanswered.
 
Pax, the gym owner, said the tall tale wouldn't make city residents more resistant to help out the next time someone is in need.
 
"This is a close-knit community," he said. "It's safe here. If something like this happened again, we wouldn't hesitate to do it again."
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recommend
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Send
 
IM Story
 
Print
 
 
 
 
 
 
Related Articles
 
 
Busted well to be 'completely sealed' by Saturday AFP -  18 minutes ago
 
Lindsay Lohan fails drug test, faces jail again AFP -  27 minutes ago
 
Q+A - How does Afghanistan's parliamentary election work? Reuters - 1 hour 14 minutes ago
 
Rebels strike as Afghanistan goes to the polls AFP - 1 hour 57 minutes ago
 
Ahmadinejad leaves for Syria, Algeria, US AFP - 2 hours 1 minute ago
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
News Search
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Top Stories
 
 
 
 
Lindsay Lohan fails drug test, faces jail again
ACS defends takeover bid for Hochtief
Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes
Obama names Warren to set up new consumer finance body
Sweden's welfare state at heart of final election debate
 
 
 
 More Top Stories »
 
 
 
ADVERTISEMENT
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Most Popular
 
 
 
 
Most Viewed
 
Most Recommended
 
 
 
 
City, Liverpool win as Europa League gorges on goals
 
UN scientists say ozone layer depletion has stopped
 
Number of poor in US jumps to record 43.7 million
 
US toughens demand for China currency action
 
US jobless claims fall faster than expected
 
 
 More Most Viewed »
 
 
 
 
 
Climate: New study slashes estimate of icecap loss
 
US pastor puts Koran-burning on hold
 
'Time bomb' superbug requires global response: doctor
 
Japanese rider Tomizawa dies in San Marino Moto2 GP
 
Vitamin B 'could delay Alzheimer's onset'
 
 
 More Most Recommended »
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Elsewhere on Yahoo!
 
 
 
 
Financial news on Yahoo! Finance
 
 
Stars and latest movies
 
 
Best travel destinations
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
More on Yahoo! News
 
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Subscribe to our news feeds
Top StoriesMy Yahoo!RSS
» More news feeds | What are news feeds?
 
Also on Yahoo!
 
Answers
Groups
Mail
Messenger
Mobile
Travel
Finance
Movies
Sports
Games
» All Yahoo! Services
 
Site Highlights
 
Singapore
Full Coverage
Most Popular
Asia Entertainment
Photos
World Cup 2010
Yahoo! News Network 
 
 
 
 Copyright © 2010 Yahoo! Southeast Asia Pte. Ltd. (Co. Reg. No. 199700735D). All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Service |
Privacy Policy |
Community |
Intellectual Property Rights Policy |
Help
    
  
   
 
 
    
   
 
Other News on Saturday, 18 September 2010 Clinton seeks Iran humanitarian gesture on hikers  
NATO chief urges Russia's inclusion under security 'tent'  
U.N. seeks $2 billion aid for Pakistan flood relief
|  
Taliban kidnap candidate on eve of Afghan poll  
Cybercrime is world's most dangerous criminal threat  
Eurozone trade deficit steady in July  
Six men held in Britain over pope visit 'terror' alert  
Poland briefly detains Chechen wanted by Russia
|  
Lebanon tribunal says can hear El Sayed file request  
First rescue drill reaches trapped Chile miners
|  
South Sudan leader warns of violence if vote delayed
|  
Sarkozy draws Germany into Roma row
|  
Afghans head to polls as Taliban threats mount  
Clinton seeks Iran humanitarian gesture on hikers
|  
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary  
Karzai urges Afghans to vote, ignore Taliban  
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon to sell Samsung's iPad rival  
Sony hopes Facebook film befriends fans and Oscar  
Thai 'Red Shirts' rally to mark coup and crackdown  
Hurricane Karl strikes Mexico near shut nuclear plant  
Clinton to attend East Asia Summit in Hanoi  
Rare sighting in Laos of mysterious beast  
Korean singer 'pulled teeth to avoid conscription'  
Prada H1 profits nearly quadruple  
Joaquin Phoenix 'documentary' was faked: Affleck  
YouTube star Fred won't be changed by fame, says creator  
Dell to invest 100 billion dollars in China by 2020  
Bharti picks IBM to upgrade Africa mobile network  
Japan ready to weaken yen again despite criticism  
Thai tussle over 3G mobile auction spooks investors  
Pakistani July/August foreign investment falls 34.1 pct  
Freida Pinto plays object of desire in Stranger
|  
NBA star Nash introduces film on his Canadian hero
|  
Death of a President director takes on slavery
|  
Oprah picks Franzen's novel Freedom for book club
|  
Officials register Putin 2012 websites in election riddle  
Brazilians pay most for new iPhone  
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon to sell Samsung's iPad rival  
Japan suspects cyber attacks amid China row: media  
Cybercrime is world's most dangerous criminal threat  
Iranian and Syrian presidents meet in Damascus  
Sweden's welfare state at heart of final election debate  
Rockets, attacks strike as Afghan poll opens
|  
 seeks to ease tensions with Alibaba  
Rocket attack on NATO headquarters in Kabul: NATO  
First rescue drill reaches trapped Chile miners
|  
Lindsay Lohan fails drug test, faces jail again  
Chechen exile leader freed in Poland  
Security, rain dampen China protests against Japan
|  
Afghans vote amid threats and scattered attacks  
ACS defends takeover bid for Hochtief  
Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes  
Afghans vote for parliament despite some attacks  
Pope decries 'marginalisation' of religion  
Iranian and Syrian presidents meet in Damascus
|  
Obama names Warren to set up new consumer finance body  
Brazil's Rousseff widens lead despite scandals
|  
South Sudan leader warns of violence if vote delayed  
Busted well to be 'completely sealed' by Saturday: BP  
Kenya says world neglecting Somalia security threat
|  
Polls opens for Afghanistan parliamentary election  
Mid-strength typhoon on track to lash Taiwan Sunday
|  
Polling opens for Afghan parliamentary vote  
France defends possible warship sale to Russia
|  
France urges danger zone exit after Niger kidnap
|  
Quake shakes north Afghanistan, no damage reported  
Insurgents fire rockets to disrupt Afghan election  
Protesters stage anti-Japan rallies in China  
Japan press welcomes cabinet but warns on yen, China  
Russell Brand arrested in paparazzi scuffle  
Australian soldiers face violent Afghan protest: military  
Australian yachting race claims life in rough weather  
Ahmadinejad leaves for Syria, Algeria, US  
Sri Lanka begins clearing after blast  
Samsung takes aim at Apple's iPad, iTunes  
Security, rain dampen China protests against Japan  
Karl downgraded to tropical storm  
N.Korea may have hit succession snag: report  
Couple charged in nuclear weapons secrets case  
US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary  
Thai 'Reds' head north for coup, crackdown rallies  
New death sparks fresh protests in Indian Kashmir  
Russell Brand arrested in paparazzi scuffle  
Taiwan, China on alert as powerful typhoon nears  
Lindsay Lohan tweets that she failed drug test  
Few in Wash. city are angry at acid hoax woman  
Letterman knew Joaquin Phoenix was faking: writer  
US must free Iranians in return for freed hiker: Ahmadinejad  
Italian politician slams Tarantino's Venice stint  
U.S. scientist charged with peddling nuclear secrets  
Gospel singer Wilson's "Love" still strong  
Darius Rucker readies second country album  
Michael Moore knocks Canadian policy  
Cameras rolled while Fantasia recovered from overdose  
Stewart and Colbert plan spoof of Tea Party rally  
US, Indonesia pledge work on hot-button issues  
Lindsay Lohan tweets that she failed drug test
|  
Russell Brand arrested in paparazzi scuffle
|  
Lady Gaga urges repeal of gay military ban
|  
Letterman knew Joaquin Phoenix was faking: writer
|  
Ricky Gervais at work on new UK series
|  
Stewart and Colbert plan spoof of Tea Party rally
|  
Gospel singer Wilson's Love still strong
|  
Italian politician slams Tarantino's Venice stint
|  
Michael Moore knocks Canadian policy
|  
Pope apologizes for abuse as thousands march in protest
|  
1,000 computer hackers meet in Budapest  
Afghans vote for parliament amid threats, attacks  
Deadly clashes erupt with 'Al-Qaeda' fighters in Mali  
Mauritania says 12 Qaeda members killed in clash
|  
One killed as police open fire on crowd in Kashmir
|  
Six people kidnapped in restive Iran province: police
|  
Sudanese migrant shot dead at Egypt-Israel border
|  
Nigerian leader front-runner as election battle begins
|  
French team probe Rwandan leader's 1994 plane crash
|  
Indian Kashmir death toll tops 100  
English women's football team arrives in N.Korea  
Myanmar 'issues warning to Suu Kyi party'  
Thailand's Thaworn leads at Yeangder golf event  
UK beach clean up attracts thousands  
UK village life 'dying out' as pubs shut  
Toyota 'settles suit' over fatal San Diego crash  
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro  
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found  
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever  
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production  
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time  
AMD to Start Production of piledriver  
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs  
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia  
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air  
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch  
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent  
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up  
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform  
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis  
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets  
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights