A 52-year-old woman from Volusia County, Florida, named Kymberlee Schopper has been arrested and charged for allegedly purchasing and selling human bones on Facebook Marketplace. She owns a local shop called Wicked Wonderland in Orange City, which offers preservation services, antique and gothic items, and unique art.
The Orange City Police Department began investigating the case in 2023 after receiving reports that human bones were being advertised for sale on Wicked Wonderland’s Facebook page. Officers discovered six items listed for sale, totaling $850 in supposed value, including human skull fragments, a clavicle, scapula, rib, vertebrae, and a partial skull.
Co-owner Ashley Lelesi admitted to selling human remains for several years, claiming ignorance of the illegality of such transactions. She mentioned that the bones were genuine and delicate, acquired from private sellers with documentation that she could not immediately provide.
Five of the remains were collected by officers with Lelesi’s consent, while one of the skull fragments had already been sold for $50. When questioned again, Schopper stated that the bones were educational models, which can legally be sold in Florida. The women were disappointed that they could not retrieve the bones, as they were being held as evidence in the case.
Wicked Wonderland’s website describes the owners as a mother and daughter team with a passion for the strange and unusual, stemming from their medical background. Ocean City police had a forensic expert examine the bones, determining that they likely belonged to two different individuals, with carbon dating suggesting one was hundreds of years old.
Schopper was released on a $7,500 bond from Volusia County Jail and it is unclear if she has retained legal representation at this time.
