The owner of a Florida curio shop is facing felony charges after investigators say she was illegally selling genuine human remains.
Kymberlee Schopper, 52, co-owner of Wicked Wonderland in Orange City, was arrested on April 10 following a 15-month investigation into the shop’s unusual inventory. She is charged with the purchase or sale of human tissue, a felony in the state of Florida.
The investigation began in December 2023 when police received a tip about Wicked Wonderland allegedly offering real human bone fragments for sale via its Facebook Marketplace page.
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According to an arrest warrant obtained by WOFL Fox 35, officers found listings explicitly described as “human” bone fragments. Items reportedly included two human skull fragments ($90), a human clavicle and scapula ($90), a human rib ($35), human vertebrae ($35), and a partial human skull ($600).
When authorities visited the store, Schopper’s business partner, Ashley Lelesi, allegedly confirmed that the shop had been knowingly selling human bones, purchased from private sellers, for several years, the warrant stated. Lelesi reportedly told officers she had documentation for the transactions but couldn’t produce it immediately and was unaware that selling human remains was illegal in Florida.
Schopper, when questioned, reportedly claimed the bones were merely parts of “educational models,” for which she possessed documentation, suggesting they were legal to sell under Florida law. However, Orange City Police Captain Sherif El-Shami emphasized to the Daytona Beach News-Journal that regardless of the source, selling human remains is prohibited in the state.
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The bone fragments were confiscated and sent to the Volusia County Medical Examiner’s Office for analysis. Examiners determined that a skull fragment and a partial skull were likely archaeological finds, while other fragments were estimated to be between 100 and 500 years old, WOFL reported.
Investigators concluded that “Schopper knowingly purchased and listed human bones for sale through Facebook Marketplace and their business website.”
Schopper was booked into the Volusia County Jail and later released after posting a $7,500 bond. She is scheduled for arraignment on May 1. Authorities indicated that Lelesi will also face charges, although she has not yet been arrested.
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