Latest news with #Schopper
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida Woman Arrested for Selling Human Remains on Facebook Marketplace
Down in the wild and wonderful world of Florida, the owner of an oddities shop has been arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace. As USA Today reports, 52-year-old Kymberlee Schopper has been charged with the illegal purchase and sale of human bones on Zuckerberg's commerce platform. At the end of 2023, police in the Daytona Beach suburb of Orange City received a tip that Wicked Wonderland, Schopper's shop that also advertises pet taxidermy and animal "mummification" on its website, was selling various human bones and skeletal fragments. From a $35 human rib to a $600 partial human skull, the store's wares were valued at $850 in the tip authorities received. When they spoke with Schopper's daughter and co-owner, 33-year-old Ashley Lelesi, the proprietress copped to the sale without hesitation. According to the affidavit viewed by USA Today, the mother-daughter team was unaware that selling bones was illegal in the state of Florida — one of only eight American states that broadly bans the practice, though dozens of other states have conditional prohibitions on it. Lelesi told the cops that she and Schopper had purchased the bone lot from various private sellers. She provided police with five of the six specimens and told them the shop had already sold a piece of skull fragment for $50, even providing receipts for the purchase and sale of all the bones in question. Later, both mother and daughter met with police and had, at that point, changed their tune. According to the affidavit, Schopper told authorities that the bones were "educational models," which would place them in a legal loophole within the state's ban on the sale of human remains. Apparently, the cops didn't buy it, and Schopper was charged with purchasing or selling human organs and tissue, a second-degree felony that can carry up to a 15-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine. It does not appear that Lelesi was charged with any crime, and the mother posted her $7,500 bail following her arrest. Nine years ago and 650 miles away, a similar debacle unfolded in New Orleans after Ender Darling, a member of a Facebook group called "Queer Witch Collective," told their fellow magic practitioners that they had some local bones for sale. Per their initial post, Darling had taken to procuring bones from a "poor man's graveyard" near their house that would rise to the surface during rainstorms in the notoriously stormy city — and would happily sell them to their fellow witches for the cost of shipping. The Queer Witch Collective exploded in fury at Darling for not only collecting bones without consent from the families of the deceased, but also turning a profit off them. Though Darling's ethnic background remains something of a mystery, they are decidedly not Black, and as speculation raged about which graveyard they got the bones from, many commentators on the increasingly-fiery — and now mythical — thread pointed out that the majority of people buried in a New Orleans potter's field would be Black. After this "bones discourse" spread to Tumblr and became a meme, people in power caught wind of the "Boneghazi" debacle. After being tailed by police, Darling was arrested in Florida — where else? — and charged with burglary and trafficking human remains, though those charges were minimized after they pleaded guilty. As the investigation unfolded, Louisiana enacted its Human Remains Protection and Control Act, which called for harsher punishment for the trafficking of bones and other body parts and brought it into the fold of states that criminalize the practice. Though it's entirely plausible that the owners of Wicked Wonderland were unaware that selling bones is illegal in Florida, they could have done a quick Google search about what happened to the last person who got caught doing it — and saved themselves a world of trouble. More on selling parts: Shop Scrutinized for Selling Human Bodies Out of a Strip Mall
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida women arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace: Police
The owners of a Florida curio shop have been arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace, according to the Orange City Police Department. Kymberlee Schopper, 52, and Ashley Lelesi were arrested and charged with the purchase or sale of human organs and tissue, according to court records. 'This is something I haven't seen in the 17 years that I've worked for this agency,' Orange City Police Department Capt. Sherif El-Shami told ABC News. Orange City is located about a half hour north of Orlando. Police began looking into Schopper's store, Wicked Wonderland, back in December 2023, when they received a tip regarding a business within the city 'attempting to sell human bones,' according to the charge affidavit. The tip included images from the store's Facebook page, which 'advertised various human bones for sale, complete with pricing information,' the affidavit said. Schopper's store was allegedly selling two human skull fragments for $90, a human clavicle and scapula for $90, a human rib for $35, a human vertebrae for $35 and a partial human skull for $600, the affidavit said. Police spoke to Lelesi, the co-owner of Wicked Wonderland, who said the store had been selling human bones for 'several years and was unaware that it was prohibited in the state of Florida,' the affidavit said. She confirmed to authorities that the store featured 'multiple bone fragments, all purchased from private sellers,' the affidavit said. Lelesi said she had documentation for these transactions, but 'could not provide it at that moment,' the affidavit said. Schopper and Lelesi later met with police, where Schopper showed documentation from PayPal, but she had 'redacted certain information to protect their privacy,' the affidavit said. Schopper told police the bones were 'indeed educational models' and that a warrant would be required if further information was needed, the affidavit said. Police submitted five pieces of human bones from Wicked Wonderland as evidence, with the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office finding that the fragments 'likely represent two different individuals — one of possible archaeological origin and the other of anatomical origin,' according to the affidavit. Schopper was taken into custody on Thursday and was released on a bail of $7,500 on Friday, according to court records. It is not immediately clear if Schopper has obtained a lawyer. Lelesi has also been charged with the same crime, El-Shami told ABC News. It is not clear whether Lelesi is in police custody or has obtained a lawyer. In a post on the store's Facebook page, the pair wrote of the store closing on Saturday, 'Wicked Wonderland is currently temporarily closed due to dedicating our time to the care of a beloved family member in their final moments. Absolutely nothing more. While there may be a whirlwind of misguiding information and horrendous assumptions and opinions, we're choosing to focus on what we always have: Life, love, death and Family.' Schopper's arraignment has been scheduled for May 1, according to court records. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida woman arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace: Police
A Florida woman has been arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace, according to the Orange City Police Department. Kymberlee Schopper, 52, was arrested last week and charged with the purchase or sale of human organs and tissue, according to court records. "This is something I haven't seen in the 17 years that I've worked for this agency," Orange City Police Department Capt. Sherif El-Shami told ABC News. Orange City is located about a half hour north of Orlando. MORE: Harvard Medical School morgue manager accused of stealing, selling human remains Police began looking into Schopper's store, Wicked Wonderland, back in December 2023, when they received a tip regarding a business within the city "attempting to sell human bones," according to the charge affidavit. The tip included images from the store's Facebook page, which "advertised various human bones for sale, complete with pricing information," the affidavit said. Schopper's store was allegedly selling two human skull fragments for $90, a human clavicle and scapula for $90, a human rib for $35, a human vertebrae for $35 and a partial human skull for $600, the affidavit said. Police spoke to Ashley Lelesi, the co-owner of Wicked Wonderland, who said the store had been selling human bones for "several years and was unaware that it was prohibited in the state of Florida," the affidavit said. She confirmed to authorities that the store featured "multiple bone fragments, all purchased from private sellers," the affidavit said. Lelesi said she had documentation for these transactions, but "could not provide it at that moment," the affidavit said. Schopper and Lelesi later met with police, where Schopper showed documentation from PayPal, but she had "redacted certain information to protect their privacy," the affidavit said. Schopper told police the bones were "indeed educational models" and that a warrant would be required if further information was needed, the affidavit said. MORE: Suitcase with human remains inside discovered in New York City's East River Police submitted five pieces of human bones from Wicked Wonderland as evidence, with the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office finding that the fragments "likely represent two different individuals -- one of possible archaeological origin and the other of anatomical origin," according to the affidavit. Schopper was taken into custody on Thursday and was released on a bail of $7,500 on Friday, according to court records. It is not immediately clear if Schopper has obtained a lawyer. Lelesi has also been charged with the same crime, El-Shami told ABC News. It is not clear whether Lelesi is in police custody or has obtained a lawyer. Schopper's arraignment has been scheduled for May 1, according to court records. Florida woman arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace: Police originally appeared on
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida woman charged with selling human bones on Facebook Marketplace
A Florida woman is facing charges after allegedly buying and selling human bones on Facebook Marketplace. Kymberlee Schopper, a 52-year-old from Volusia County, Florida, was arrested and charged Thursday with the purchase or sale of human organs and tissue, according to court records. Schopper owns Wicked Wonderland, a local shop in Orange City that offers preservation services, antique and gothic items, and unusual art. According to the affidavit, the Orange City Police Department has been investigating the case since 2023 after a report was filed alleging Wicked Wonderland's Facebook page advertised human bones for sale. Officers found the following six items listed for sale, the affidavit says, totaling $850 in supposed value: Two human skull fragments ($90 total) Human clavicle and scapula ($90) Human rib ($35) Human vertebrae ($35) Partial human skull ($600) Police then spoke with co-owner Ashley Lelesi, 33, who told them the shop had been selling human remains for several years but was unaware that was illegal, the affidavit says. "She confirmed that the store had multiple human bone fragments, all purchased from private sellers, and mentioned she has documentation for these transactions but could not provide it at that moment," the affidavit says. "She described the bones as genuine human remains and delicate in nature." The officer collected five of the remains with Lelesi's consent. Lelesi told the office that one of the skull fragments had already been sold for $50, according to the affidavit. When Schopper and Lelesi met with officers again, Schopper said the bones were educational models. Human remains that are educational models can be legally sold in Florida, according to state law. According to the affidavit, the women were upset when they were not able to retrieve the bones, as they were being held as evidence in the case. Wicked Wonderland's website says the owners are "a mother and daughter team who revel in the madness of the strange and unusual; the dark and macabre." "Having both come from a medical background we have a passion for sharing our knowledge and expertise in the preservation and exploration of anatomy and pathology of all organic beings," the pair wrote on the store's website. Ocean City police had Dr. Jonathan D. Bethard examine the bone fragments at the University of South Florida's Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Laboratory. The report found the bones were likely from two different individuals, and carbon dating testing suggests one being hundreds of years old. Schopper was released on Friday from Volusia County Jail on a $7,500 bond. It is not immediately clear if she has retained a lawyer. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Yahoo
Florida woman arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace: Police
A Florida woman has been arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace, according to the Orange City Police Department. Kymberlee Schopper, 52, was arrested last week and charged with the purchase or sale of human organs and tissue, according to court records. "This is something I haven't seen in the 17 years that I've worked for this agency," Orange City Police Department Capt. Sherif El-Shami told ABC News. Orange City is located about a half hour north of Orlando. MORE: Harvard Medical School morgue manager accused of stealing, selling human remains Police began looking into Schopper's store, Wicked Wonderland, back in December 2023, when they received a tip regarding a business within the city "attempting to sell human bones," according to the charge affidavit. The tip included images from the store's Facebook page, which "advertised various human bones for sale, complete with pricing information," the affidavit said. Schopper's store was allegedly selling two human skull fragments for $90, a human clavicle and scapula for $90, a human rib for $35, a human vertebrae for $35 and a partial human skull for $600, the affidavit said. Police spoke to Ashley Lelesi, the co-owner of Wicked Wonderland, who said the store had been selling human bones for "several years and was unaware that it was prohibited in the state of Florida," the affidavit said. She confirmed to authorities that the store featured "multiple bone fragments, all purchased from private sellers," the affidavit said. Lelesi said she had documentation for these transactions, but "could not provide it at that moment," the affidavit said. Schopper and Lelesi later met with police, where Schopper showed documentation from PayPal, but she had "redacted certain information to protect their privacy," the affidavit said. Schopper told police the bones were "indeed educational models" and that a warrant would be required if further information was needed, the affidavit said. MORE: Suitcase with human remains inside discovered in New York City's East River Police submitted five pieces of human bones from Wicked Wonderland as evidence, with the Volusia County Medical Examiner's Office finding that the fragments "likely represent two different individuals -- one of possible archaeological origin and the other of anatomical origin," according to the affidavit. Schopper was taken into custody on Thursday and was released on a bail of $7,500 on Friday, according to court records. It is not immediately clear if Schopper has obtained a lawyer. Lelesi has also been charged with the same crime, El-Shami told ABC News. It is not clear whether Lelesi is in police custody or has obtained a lawyer. Schopper's arraignment has been scheduled for May 1, according to court records. Florida woman arrested for selling human remains on Facebook Marketplace: Police originally appeared on
