GUILTY WA - Bethany Storro charged in acid attack hoax, Vancouver, 2010

[Snoopster]

Why?

Warning: Armchair diagnosis by a completely ignorant layman. (That doesn't stop me though )

Perhaps she didn't have any children, so she couldn't fall back on Munchausen by Proxy, but had to harm herself instead in order to gain attention.

From Wikipedia page on 'Self Harm':

Although some people who self-harm do not suffer from any forms of recognised mental illness,[24] many people experiencing various forms of mental ill-health do have a higher risk of self-harm. The key areas of illness which exhibit an increased risk include borderline personality disorder, depression,[13][31] phobias,[13] and conduct disorders.[32] Substance abuse is also considered a risk factor[10] as are some personal characteristics such as poor problem solving skills and impulsivity.[10] There are parallels between self-harm and Munchausen syndrome, a psychiatric disorder where those affected feign illness or trauma.[33] There may be a common ground of inner distress culminating in self-directed harm in a Munchausen patient. However, a desire to deceive medical personnel in order to gain treatment and attention is more important in Munchausen's than in self-harm.

bbm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-harm

 

[laytonian]

Why?

Warning: Armchair diagnosis by a completely ignorant layman. (That doesn't stop me though )

Perhaps she didn't have any children, so she couldn't fall back on Munchausen by Proxy, but had to harm herself instead in order to gain attention.

From Wikipedia page on 'Self Harm':

bbm

I think that could enter into it, but I steadfastly maintain she was in it for the "poor little PRETTY deaf white girl attacked by a jealous BLACK woman" angle.

She was too quick to go in front of the cameras, and talk about Jesus. Then she says she wants to "inspire people (hope I did!)...".

Well, she did inspire a bunch of racists. She also cost a small police department hundreds of investigative manhours, alarmed an entire town, and after doing all of that?

She got worldwide attention.

(She's a recent divorcee, childless, just moved from....ahem....Priest Lake, Idaho -- known in these parts as Aryan Nation central)

 

[pugglesworth]

I ws feeling like a cynic as I never bought her story but did not dare post...stories like this are why I am a bit cynical...

I hate that she brought race into it by blaming an African American, just what this country needs...I hope she faces charges and hospital bills and does not get free plastic surgery out of this...

There has been some tension in the Portland/Vancouver area this summer due to some incidents involving the police shooting African American men under questionable circumstances. Jesse Jackson came to protest at city hall, at one point. For this woman to fan those flames by blaming an imaginary Black person for her injuries is so horrible, racist, and irresponsible I don't even have words for it.

 

[pugglesworth]

Factitious disorder doesn't have to be by proxy, it can be its own syndrome:

[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factitious_disorder[/ame]

 

[laytonian]

Factitious disorder doesn't have to be by proxy, it can be its own syndrome:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factitious_disorder

Very true. But "financial gain" isn't mentioned in that disorder.

There were rumors that she'd made the same accusation "in another state" -- but we don't know if that's true. IF it is, I'll go with "disorder".

But right now, I'm just thinking "pure evil greed".

It's one thing to make up a story; it's another to embellish it to cause hate and distrust within the local community. And to call herself a "pretty girl" and the "attacker" looked jealous?

I'd like to see some real pictures of her; not those obviously-dated posers.

 

[Fairy1]

OMG. It NEVER occurred to me this was a hoax! What a horrific way to get attention! And the whole race thing is so tragically disturbing.

This girl has some serious mental/emotional issues. How very sad.

 

[akashana]

I don't think it's Munchausen. I'm going with greed and racism as well. Seems like she committed a hate crime herself by blaming the disfiguring attack on a non-existent Black woman. She really motivates me, but I can't say as to what or it would be my last WS post for sure.

Throw the book at her.

 

[newone]

I feel badly for her family right now -- bloody embarrassing

 

[jjenny]

Yes, they were.
Her mother helped publicize the fundraiser held near the "attack" site.
I don't know how much was raised, but it should be given back.

Ms Storro can go to work doing *anything*, to pay her own medical bills.
And she'd better apologize quickly to all who were harmed by her accusation, because real women were investigated by the police.

If anyone here doubts the impact of what she stirred up, read this:
Nicholas Stix.

Really? Police actually investigated somebody, multiple somebodies? That sketch didn't even have the earrings correctly, they were supposed to have been in the left ear, but the sketch showed them in the right ear.

 

[jjenny]

Why?

The same thing I speculated about last week: she saw herself as a Christian motivation speaker. Her mother leads a church, and who better to be a spokeswoman, than a poor little deaf "pretty girl" who had acid splashed in her face?

Think of all the money people spend, to hear "motivational speakers".

And it could very well have worked.
Media was eating it all up. According to many talking heads, she was an inspiration, with her stories about Jesus, and how quickly she could forgive and move on. Reminds me of balloon boy story.

 

[Belinda]

It was all simply a misunderstanding. She was just trying to get rid of some of that giant nose. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

 

[cluciano63]

It was all simply a misunderstanding. She was just trying to get rid of some of that giant nose. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Can't say it did not cross my mind, but you were the one who said it...

 

[Truthful Lies]

She needs a psych eval, stat. What a nut job! I don't feel sorry for her in the least bit. I was scared for my safety and every woman I know....I think the other ones are legit...but god, I model and was just shaking when I'd go out and have to walk to my car. She prob wanted her ex husband back and thought, "Perfect!". Me guesses HE divorced HER.

WOW. MOO

 

[porkchop]

I have heard speculation that she was doing some kind of do it yourself facial peel that went wrong and made up this story because she was too embarrassed to tell the truth. If you look at the burns they look to be evenly spread out on her face.

 

[Belinda]

I have heard speculation that she was doing some kind of do it yourself facial peel that went wrong and made up this story because she was too embarrassed to tell the truth. If you look at the burns they look to be evenly spread out on her face.

I noticed that as well. But the doctor said it was something as strong as hydrocloric or sulfuric (excuse misspelling) acid, so I don't think she would have used that for a facial. However, it does appear that she purposely spread the acid on her face. Interesting idea though and I will be looking to see if anything comes up about this. Could someone really be that dumb to put acid on their face for a facial peel? I suppose stranger things have happened.

 

[laytonian]

It was all simply a misunderstanding. She was just trying to get rid of some of that giant nose. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Ha.

After what she put people through, and the lies she told that frightened and defamed people, I think she deserves that.

I'd like to see a real "non-party" picture of her.

 

[Belinda]

Ha.

After what she put people through, and the lies she told that frightened and defamed people, I think she deserves that.

I'd like to see a real "non-party" picture of her.

It was terribly snarky of me, but I absolutely despise people that do things like this and then take advantage of the generosity of others to boot.

 

[laytonian]

And it could very well have worked.
Media was eating it all up. According to many talking heads, she was an inspiration, with her stories about Jesus, and how quickly she could forgive and move on. Reminds me of balloon boy story.

Yeah, but balloon boy fell apart in 24 hours; this woman kept her lies up for over two weeks. Her mother-in-law was standing up for her, three days ago.

I hope Storro is reading the front-page news in her hometown paper, The Columbian:

Acid 'victim' admits injuring herself.

Frustration, puzzlement after acid attack ruled hoax.

Fabrication jars, saddens blacks, downtown dwellers ... but made a lot of white supremacists happy. Her hateful actions gave them a reason to spread more hate.

While I believe you'd have to be "crazy" to do this to yourself, you have to have a stone-cold, hateful heart to blame "black people".

Maybe she can find that woman who carved the "B" into her cheek (and blamed it on an Obama supporter).

 

[Belinda]

I think we have had quite enough of the phantom African American perpetrators. This needs to stop. It just incites more divisiveness and mistrust. Plus, it's stupid.

 

[laytonian]

It was terribly snarky of me, but I absolutely despise people that do things like this and then take advantage of the generosity of others to boot.

Same here. Despise.

She stole. She stole people's money, their good will towards her, the trust within the community, people's safety, black women'ss comfort .....and kept it up for over two weeks.

I think that's more than a mental defect; that's a series of purposeful decisions. I don't see this as a mistake during a facial peel,

I believe one of the few things she was honest about, was that she wanted to "inspire people" and "talk about Jesus". This was how she could get famous enough to do that, by becoming a famous "survivor".

Now she feels "fragile". That's an excuse for not giving *more* interviews, and apologizing.