14 DAY TRIAL // In August this year, the case of Bethany Storro made international headlines after she claimed a stranger attacked her in the street and tossed acid on her face, disfiguring her. Now, after admitting she did it herself, Storro has been charged with theft.
Storro’s case shocked the community, especially since she said she didn’t know who attacked her – or for what reason, for that matter.
After analyzing her burns, investigators soon realized that it was very probably she may have caused the injuries herself, which, later on, led to a confession from the so-called “victim.”
Initially, Storro said she poured drain cleaner on her face because she wanted to die. Then, she admitted she only wanted to find a way to get plastic surgery on her face.
The problem is, KomoNews informs, her case got many people feeling sorry for her. Some of these people even donated money to help her, and she spent some of it, which is why she’s guilty of theft.
“The charges deal with the donations made to Storro after word of her bogus attack spread. The counts could be given ‘aggravating circumstances’ consideration as the alleged crimes were committed against good Samaritans, said Clark County Deputy Prosecutor Tony Golik,” KomoNews informs.
“Anytime Fitness in Vancouver had raised $800 for Storro, Kite had made a private donation of $1,000, and Safeway had given her a check for $3,000, the statement said,” the e-zine further notes.
Since she had direct access to this money, Storro spent some of it on things like dinner for her parents, train tickets for her family and even clothes for herself.
“Storro said she used about half of the money from Safeway and ‘purchased dinners for her parents, a train ticket for her sister, stuff at Target, clothes for herself, round train trip tickets for she and her mother to go to Seattle’,” KomoNews notes.
“And pay off most of the bill at the office where her August 2010 laser facial peel was done, which amounted to $620,” prosecutors also say, as per the same e-zine.
She would have probably spent more if she had access to the rest of the funds from donations, reports say.
It turns out Riverview Savings Bank raised $20,000 for her, while Umpqua Bank set up an account for her, which raised $4,596, also from donations.
Storro will be arrested as soon as she’s discharged from the hospital. Ashamed, her parents have apologized to all those who donated, saying every dollar donated or spent will be returned.