A Florida woman is facing felony charges after authorities claim she was selling genuine human bones out of her bizarrely themed store in Orange City.
52-year-old Kymberlee Schopper, co-owner of Wicked Wonderland, has been arrested for allegedly purchasing and selling actual human remains, an act deemed illegal under Florida law. Her curio shop, known for its eerie collection of oddities, quickly attracted police attention after multiple human bone fragments were found listed for sale.
The investigation, which began in December 2023, was triggered by a tip from a concerned local woman. She alerted police to bone fragments advertised as “human” on Wicked Wonderland’s Facebook Marketplace page.
According to the arrest warrant obtained by WOFL Fox 35, several bones were posted online with price tags. These included two human skull fragments for $90, a clavicle and scapula combo for another $90, ribs and vertebrae listed at $35 each, and a partial human skull with a $600 price tag.
Police launched a deeper probe into the store’s inventory and practices. During questioning, Schopper claimed the items were “educational models” and insisted she had legal documentation for them. However, authorities say she failed to produce any paperwork supporting the claims.
Ashley Lelesi, Schopper’s business partner, reportedly admitted the store had been selling human bones for several years. She told investigators the remains were purchased from private sellers and acknowledged their authenticity.
Despite claiming she had documents verifying the origins of the bones, Lelesi was unable to present them at the time of interrogation. Police noted she appeared nervous and was unaware that selling human remains violated state law.
Wicked Wonderland’s “delightfully eerie” branding has now landed both co-owners in hot water. While Schopper was taken into custody, Lelesi is also expected to face charges, though she hasn’t yet been arrested.
Investigators confiscated the bone fragments and handed them over to the Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office. Experts concluded that some bones were likely archaeological in nature, dating between 100 to 500 years old.
Captain Sherif El-Shami of the Orange City Police Department stated that regardless of origin, the sale of human remains is strictly prohibited in Florida. He emphasized that any such transactions, even involving historical remains, fall under the felony offense of selling human tissue.
The 15-month-long investigation concluded with Schopper being charged with unlawful purchase or sale of human tissue. She was booked into the Volusia County Jail on April 10 and released on a $7,500 bond.
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