18 year old Althea Bernstein from Madison, Wisconsin, was driving to her brother’s house last Wednesday. Four white men pulled close to her vehicle and allegedly doused her with fluid and tossed a flaming lighter inside her open car window, setting her neck and face on fire.
Althea Bernstein suffered severe burns and will eventually need plastic surgery, according to Madison365. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime, according to the Madison Police Department incident report. Here’s everything you need to know.
The hate crime occurred while Althea was stopped at a red light. according to reports, she heard racial slurs being yelled.
The men then sprayed liquid onto her face and threw a flaming lighter at her, causing the liquid to ignite.
She “patted out the flames,” according to the report, and went home. Bernstein later drove herself to the emergency room. Hospital staff believe the liquid was lighter fluid.
Speaking to Good Morning America, Althea said, “Once it happened, I don’t even remember anything, but your brain still has that fight or flight response that takes care of you. So I made it home, I called my mom, I drove myself to the ER.”
She went on to say, “It’s definitely a learning opportunity and I’m very very hopeful that these men sort of see all the responses and that they know they hurt me and that this is something that’s going to affect me for a while,” Bernstein said on GMA. “I really hope that they choose to improve themselves.”
Althea Bernstein has suffered second and third degree burn and needs additional medical care.
Change.org has set up a petition for Althea to cover her care and share her story. More signatures, donation’s, and sharing is needed to help Althea Bernstein. Make a change by clicking Here
So far 272,256 have signed Kadyn Loring’s petition for Althea Bernstein. Let’s get to 300,000!
