Perpetrator of acid attack hoax releases book

A troubled young Vancouver woman who purposefully damaged her face with drain cleaner and then concocted a story about being attacked has written a book about her experience.

“Facing the Truth” was written by Bethany Storro and Portland-area co-author Mona Krueger. In a weekend news release, Krueger says the book is available at Amazon.com and soon will be available on Kindle.

Storro’s story attracted national attention after she was found sitting on a curb near Esther Short Park in August 2010, her face damaged by a caustic substance. She told police that she had been attacked by a stranger, a black woman who threw a cup of acid on her face.

Detectives were suspicious about her story from the beginning, but it took days of investigation before she admitted to making up the story.

In the meantime, she accepted donations from well-meaning people who were outraged that a young woman would be attacked in such a manner.

She later entered a deferred sentencing agreement on a charge of second-degree theft, in connection with spending part of the donations, and agreed to seek inpatient treatment for mental health issues.

According to the news release, the book “will take the reader through a maze of mental illness to uncover the history leading up to the tragedy.

“Bethany’s desire is that others facing similar paths will find help and hope before dire consequences ensue.”

Krueger, the co-author, is herself a survivor of serious burn injuries.