A Florida woman has been arrested following an investigation into the online sale of human bones through Facebook Marketplace, authorities confirmed this week.
According to police, 52-year-old Kymberlee Schopper is facing charges related to the illegal sale and purchase of human tissue. She is accused of knowingly trafficking human remains through her business, Wicked Wonderland, based in Orange City, Florida.
Schopper was taken into custody on April 11 and later released from Volusia County Jail on a $7,500 (approximately Rs 6.45 lakh) bond.
The investigation began on December 21, 2023, after Orange City Police received a tip-off regarding suspicious activity on a local business’s Facebook page. The informant shared images that appeared to show human bones being sold online.
Authorities identified the business as Wicked Wonderland, located on North Volusia Avenue. A subsequent search of the company’s website uncovered a range of human remains listed for sale, including two human skull fragments, a clavicle and scapula, a rib, a vertebra, and a partial skull.
The police collected the remains and sent them to the medical examiner’s office for evaluation. Experts later determined that some bones could be of archaeological origin. One skull fragment was estimated to be over 100 years old, while another appeared to be more than 500 years old.
During a visit to the store, officers interviewed one of the owners, who admitted that the shop had been selling human bones “for years” and claimed she was unaware that such sales were illegal in Florida.
“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. She described the bones as genuine human remains and delicate in nature,” stated the arrest affidavit, according to FOX 35 Orlando.
Schopper defended the practice, stating that the bones were intended as educational models and that she believed they were legally permissible under state law.
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