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News

Couple Who Caused a Gender Reveal Wildfire Charged With Manslaughter

The El Dorado fire killed firefighter Charles Morton.

Taylor Henderson

Taylor Henderson is a PRIDE.com contributor. This proud Texas Bama studied Media Production/Studies and Sociology at The University of Texas at Austin, where he developed his passions for pop culture, writing, and videography. He's absolutely obsessed with Beyoncé, mangoes, and cheesy YA novels that allow him to vicariously experience the teen years he spent in the closet. He's also writing one!

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Taylor Henderson

cornbreadsays

July 23 2021 3:46 PM EST

December 09 2022 9:12 AM EST

Last September, disaster struck at a California gender-reveal party and now Refugio Manuel Jimenez Jr. and Angela Renee Jimenez are paying the price.

In the Los Angeles suburb of Yucaipa, the couple set off a smoke bomb to announce the gender of their baby. According to them., "the bomb ignited dry grass, which the couple attempted to extinguish using bottled water. But the powerful winds and plentiful dry grass of California fire season were stronger, and the fire went on to burn for months, as the state endured its worst fire season on record."

It began on September 5, 2020, and wasn't put out until November 16. At that point, it burned over 22,000 acres of land throughout San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.

Over a dozen people were injured in the fires, including three firefighters, one fatally. The couple has now been indicted on one count of involuntary manslaughter for the death of 39-year-old Charles Morton, who lead the Big Bear Interagency Hotshot Squad, as well as three felony counts of “recklessly causing a fire with great bodily injury.”

If convicted, the Jimenez's could each face up to 20 years in prison.

Jenna Karvunidis, the blogger credited with popularizing gender reveals parties, called for an end to the trend last September in a Facebook post. “Stop it," she wrote. "Stop having these stupid parties. For the love of God, stop burning things down to tell everyone about your kid's penis. No one cares but you.”