A San Bernardino, California couple is now facing up to twenty years in prison after a party led to one death and twelve injuries.
Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr. and Angela Renee Jimenez held a gender reveal party to announce to their family whether they were having a boy or a girl.
The couple intended to use the ‘smoke-generating pyrotechnic device’ to signal the baby’s gender, but instead caused a massive wildfire.
In an attempt to stop the raging fire, Refugio and Angela poured water bottles onto the flames. The attempt was ultimately unsuccessful, and the couple eventually called 911.
The wildfire raged through 22,000 acres of land, requiring more than 1,300 firefighters and 23 days to get it under control.
According to authorities, one firefighter died while battling the wildfire, and twelve others were injured. The fire also destroyed five homes and more than a dozen other structures.
San Bernardino National Forest tweeted:
“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 suppress the El Dorado Fire on their home unit. Our hearts go out to Charlie’s loved ones, friends, coworkers and the Big Bear Hotshots.’”
…suppress the El Dorado Fire on their home unit. Our hearts go out to Charlie’s loved ones, friends, coworkers and the Big Bear Hotshots.” pic.twitter.com/HTEzDP2gTQ
— San Bernardino National Forest (@SanBernardinoNF) September 22, 2020
The couple is now facing the consequences of their gender reveal party gone wrong.
Refugio and Angela Jimenez are being charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter, four felony counts of recklessly causing a fire to inhabited structures, three felony counts of recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury, and 22 misdemeanors of recklessly causing fire to property.
Both of them have pleaded not guilty.
While announcing the charges, San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson stated:
“The conditions that were created that led to the firefighter death were a direct result of the fire. Given the scope and impact of the El Dorado fire on the land and lives of so many, particularly Charles Morton and his family, it was imperative that every investigation be completed within both federal and state agencies to provide a full and fair presentation to the members of our community that made up the grand jury.”