Orange City, Florida— Two women in Florida have been arrested and charged following a disturbing investigation into the sale of human remains through a Facebook marketplace linked to their shop, Wicked Wonderland.
According to the Orange City Police Department, 52-year-old Kymberlee Schopper and co-owner Ashley Lelesi are accused of marketing and selling human bones online over several years.
The bones, reportedly advertised for prices ranging from $90 to $600, triggered a police investigation in December 2023 following a tip-off.
Schopper, the shop owner, was arrested after investigators discovered bone fragments of both archaeological and anatomical origin. Lelesi claimed the bones were sourced from private sellers and used as educational models but failed to provide valid documentation to support the claim.
The bizarre case shocked local law enforcement, with Captain Sherif El-Shami stating it was something he had “not seen in 17 years” of service. The shop has since announced its temporary closure, citing a family emergency and responding vaguely to the controversy via Facebook, saying, “We’re choosing to focus on what we’ve always had: life, love, death, and family.”
Meanwhile, a gruesome discovery in Russia has drawn similar international attention.
In 2020, residents of Kirensk, a town in Russia’s Irkutsk region, were horrified after spotting human bones, including a skull, mixed with sand used to de-ice roads on Partisan Alymov Street. Authorities confirmed the remains were human after images posted on social media sparked a public outcry.
The Interior Ministry launched an investigation, with preliminary findings suggesting the bones may date back to the Russian Civil War era (1917–early 1920s). A local source told the Interfax news agency that the sand used came from an area near an old cemetery.
A local politician, Nikolai Trufanov, condemned the incident, saying, “I can’t even describe how horrendous this is. I hope law-enforcement agencies will investigate this as quickly as possible.”
As investigations continue in both countries, the incidents raise troubling questions about the handling of human remains, legal oversight, and ethical standards across different societies.
