The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
A curio shop owner in Central Florida was accused of pushing the limits on what would be considered odd merchandise by allegedly selling human bones on Facebook Marketplace.
Wicked Wonderland is a curio shop in Orange City co-owned by a 52-year-old woman and her business partner. According to reports, in December 2023, the Orange City Police Department received a call from someone who wanted to report the business for allegedly listing and selling what they believed were authentic human bones on Facebook Marketplace. An investigation was opened, and the police checked out the business’s profile page. They reported that they saw multiple posts advertising pieces of human bones for sale, including two small skull fragments, a clavicle, a scapula, a rib, a piece of vertebrae, and a larger chunk of skull.
The police talked to the 53-year-old about the situation, and the woman reportedly said she bought the bones from private sellers and believed the transactions were legal since they were meant for educational purposes. She also reportedly said she was unaware that it was illegal to sell the bone pieces, as she had been doing so for several years. The items in her store were collected by the police and turned over to the medical examiner for further investigation. Some of the bones were believed to be archaeological finds, and some were reported as being from one hundred to over five hundred years old.
On April 10, the woman was taken into custody and booked into the Volusia County Jail on suspicion of felony purchase or sale of human tissue. She was released the following day after posting a $7,500 bond. It was reported that the co-owner of the shop is also expected to be charged.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.