Savannah, Georgia What started as a quiet walk in one of the city’s favorite spots turned into something straight out of a bad dream. Forsyth Park, that big green space with all the old oaks and the fancy fountain, is where folks go to relax, jog, or just hang out. But back on December 10, 2025, it turned scary when 46-year-old Ashley Wasielewski got hit with a nasty chemical attack out of nowhere.
It happened right around 8:15 p.m. She was doing laps on the sidewalk along the edge of the park, close to Whitaker Street and West Waldburg Street, fresh from a Christmas event at a church nearby. Some guy snuck up from behind maybe hiding in the shadows or bushes and dumped this super corrosive stuff right over her head and shoulders.
A tweet from X.
The liquid just tore through everything: her shirt, pants, even her headphones and the key fob in her pocket.
“At first, I thought it was water, but then the burn kicked in,”
She told some friends later, based on what AP News and locals like WTOC picked up.
She took off running across the street, yelling for help. People nearby grabbed their phones and called 911. Pretty soon, the Savannah Fire hazmat crew showed up with EMS and cops to handle the mess. Folks who saw it said they heard these awful screams and found her down on the ground, clothes half melted off.
Ashley ended up with bad burns second and third degree covering maybe half her body. We’re talking her face, head, neck, hands, legs. It burned off all her hair too. Family put out some before-and-after pics that really show how rough it was.
They treated her first at Memorial Health in Savannah, then flew her over to the burn center in Augusta, the Joseph M. Still place. Today, December 13, she’s holding steady, but she’s got a bunch of operations ahead, plus grafts and therapy that’ll take months. Her friends say she’s the type who’s always helping out volunteers at a nature spot, puts together bags for homeless people. She’s a mom, no real enemies that anyone knows. Her ex even said to reporters it seemed personal, almost like a hate crime, but cops aren’t going there yet.
Loved ones started a GoFundMe to help with the bills and time off work. It’s at about $12,500 so far, aiming for $24,000. The page says,
“She’s got no enemies, this just doesn’t make sense.”
Cops haven’t caught anyone. Savannah PD says it looks totally random, no robbery or anything.
“Random violence, plain and simple,”
They put in their statement.
They’re getting help from the FBI on testing the chemical, and maybe ATF too. Patrols are beefed up all over the city’s parks now guys on foot, horses, bikes, cars. They put out a pic from surveillance of this person of interest, some dude in a dark hoodie with a rabbit cartoon on it. Not calling him the suspect, just someone who might know something. Chief Lenny Gunther said, “We’re on it, full steam,” and asked people to call Crime Stoppers at 912-234-2604 with tips.
They still don’t know exactly what the chemical was labs are working on it. Outlets like ABC and NBC aren’t throwing around “acid” yet, and WJCL said that’s smart because jumping the gun can mess things up for everyone.
Stuff like this doesn’t happen much here in the U.S. FBI numbers say less than 100 cases a year, usually between people who know each other, like bad breakups. What makes this one different is it was a stranger in a busy public spot like Forsyth Park. That 30-acre place is usually chill, even with the odd petty theft.
Last year, Savannah had 1,248 violent crimes total, per FBI, but Chief Gunther, who’s been a cop for 31 years, says he’s never seen anything quite like this outside of family fights.
People around town are freaked out, wondering if the parks are safe at night, especially with all the tourists. Groups like the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic Violence are stepping up with help for folks who need it.
Cops are still digging, checking cameras and talking to witnesses. Things might change as they learn more. Keep an eye on savannahpd.org or your local news for the latest.
