US Woman Arrested For Selling Human Bones, Skulls And Ribs On Facebook

A woman from Florida, US, has been arrested after allegedly engaging in the online trade of human bones, including skull fragments and ribs, through Facebook Marketplace. 

According to authorities, 52-year-old Kymberlee Schopper is facing charges related to the unlawful sale and purchase of human tissue. Police say she knowingly bought and sold bones from her business, ‘Wicked Wonderland,' based in Florida's Orange City, according to a report in FOX 35 Orlando.

Schopper was taken into custody and later released on a $7,500 (around Rs 6.45 lakh) bond from Volusia County Jail on April 11.

The investigation began on December 21, 2023, after Orange City Police received a tip-off involving the sale of human bones through a local business's Facebook page. The informant provided officers with images that appeared to show bones listed for sale on the business's profile.

The business in question was identified as ‘Wicked Wonderland' in North Volusia Avenue, a locality in Orange City. A subsequent inspection of the store's website revealed a range of human remains available for purchase.

Among the items listed were two human skull fragments, a clavicle and scapula, a rib, a vertebra and a partial skull.

Police collected the remains and sent them to the medical examiner's office for further analysis.

During a visit to the store, police spoke to one of the owners, who claimed that the business had been selling human bones for years and was unaware that such sales were prohibited 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 maintained that the bones were educational models, which she believed allowed for their legal sale under state law.

Experts examining the remains concluded that some of the bones could be archaeological in origin. One skull fragment was believed to be over 100 years old, while another bone showed signs of being more than 500 years old.