A gender reveal party went terribly wrong last year when a pyrotechnic device sparked the disastrous El Dorado Fire in Southern California, and the couple responsible has been indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges.
Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr and Angela Renee Jimenez were charged with the death of fire chief Charlie Morton, who died on September 17, 2020 when his squad was overrun by flames while trying to cut fire breaks into a raging blaze.
Sharing our deepest sympathies from Chief Vicki Christiansen:
“Thursday evening we lost one of our own. Charlie Morton, Squad Boss for the Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Crew of the San Bernardino National Forest, was tragically killed during efforts to… (continued) pic.twitter.com/pfzmVkGQ0v
— San Bernardino National Forest (@SanBernardinoNF) September 22, 2020
The fire had erupted twelve days earlier when the Jimenez’s staged a gender reveal with a “smoke generating pyrotechnic device” for their young children at El Dorado Ranch Park, located at the foot of the San Bernardino Mountains.
Though the couple tried to extinguish the flames with water bottles, strong winds stoked the fire, which burned until November 16, 2020, torching more than 22,000 acres and causing over $8 million in damages. Five residential homes and fifteen other buildings were destroyed in the blaze.
“You’re obviously dealing with lost lives, you’re dealing with injured lives, and you’re dealing with people’s residences that were burned and their land that was burned,” said San Bernardino County district attorney Jason Anderson. “That encompasses a lot of, not only emotion but damage, both financially and psychologically.”
In addition to involuntary manslaughter, the Jimenez’s were charged with more than 30 crimes, including three felony counts of recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury, four felony counts of recklessly causing a fire to inhabited structures, and 22 misdemeanor counts of recklessly causing fire to property of another.
The couple each face up to twenty years in prison if convicted.
wpDiscuz
I hope they get everything they are “entitled to” for what they did. There is no excuse for behavior like that.
Only in Californication
Very stupid thing to do! It was not intended obviously to start the fire. A horrid, horrid, accident but people need to think about possible repercussions especially when living in areas of extreme fire hazards! In fact all those attending are idiots!
Oh, I’m sure they’ll probably have the book thrown at them. They are in California, so it won’t be for the death of the firefighter or damages to property. No, it’ll be for the damage they caused to the land and wildlife. I’m sure they’ll probably be found guilty and the full twenty years given to them. All the while several children will die at the hands of some gang members who will probably be released on probation, and most Californian’s will be fine with it.
It’s these type people, biden & the few people who are pro biden are!! Gender reveal party?? You got to be out of your minds!!! I sincerely hope & pray they are charged, convicted, and sent to prison for LIFE!! I understand that biden & all appointees are CORRUPT, but that shouldn’t keep the DOJ from doing what they’re paid for!!! UNFORTUNATELY it won’t happen until Republicans are back in power!! Also, sick of hearing about hunter and what illegalities he’s doing now??? He has to see prison, bidens really a terrible communist, he’s CLUELESS!!!
A gender reveal party is to announce and celebrate whether it’s a girl or boy that a pregnant couple are having!
Don’t comment on something you know nothing about…ignorance is not bliss!
Stupidity on their part for lighting fireworks in such an area.
Shades of Sodom and Gomorrah. I’m sure that no one is taking responsibility for their actions here, but it is pretty ironic.
“Shades of Sodom and Gomorrah” what’s that supposed to mean?
Does California not warn illegals and citizens about the extreme fire hazards in Spanish and English? We’re signs posted to this effect? If not, the state is at fault. Sorry, but idiots in government are to blame here. Their neglect of the forests and lack of signage is the culprit here. Not the idiots who lit the smoke bomb. Why does California sell them anyway?
ARE YOU F ing KIDDING ME???
Signs?
Common sense, knowledge, responsibility!
I feel for their newborn as they have none of the above.
They should be held liable.
The charges are imposed upon the wrong people, GAVIN NEWSOM and the policies that have created yearly wildfires are the culprit, in every City and County of California, the residences near the fire zones are required to clear the dead brush or face a fine, the State of California doesn’t clear up their own land, they actually forbid people from touching anything including dead trees from being moved, “to protect endangered species” which died every year from fires any way.
Let me see a man lost his life and those responsible will probably get probation and a pardon from the governor with Pelosi’s catholic blessings
Simply no excuse for this recklessness. Hope they serve time in jail.
What was the gender?