US couple behind disastrous gender-reveal party sentenced — RT World News
A botched 2020 gender reveal party sparked the El Dorado Fire, which killed a veteran firefighter and destroyed several homes
The couple behind the deadly 2020 El Dorado fire in California, Refugio Jimenez Jr. and Angelina Jimenez, were sentenced Friday after reaching a plea deal, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office announced.
Jimenez Jr. pleaded guilty to two counts of recklessly causing a fire and two counts of felony manslaughter, while his wife pleaded guilty to three misdemeanor counts of setting a fire on another person's property. Under the plea deal, the man was sentenced to one year in county jail, two years of criminal probation, and 200 hours of community service, with his wife receiving one year of summary probation and 400 hours of community service.
“Solving this case will never be a win.” District Attorney Jason Anderson said in a statement. “Defendants’ reckless conduct had a tremendous impact on land, property, and emergency response resources, displaced entire communities, and led to the tragic death of Wildland Forest Service firefighter Charles Morton.”
The disastrous gender reveal party took place in September 2020, when Jimenez's family, the couple and their young children gathered at El Dorado Ranch Park. The gender reveal involved setting off a smoke-generating pyrotechnic device, igniting dry grass in the area. Despite the efforts made by the couple to put out the fire, it turned into a massive fire.
The El Dorado Fire forced the evacuation of several small communities across the San Bernardino National Forest area, killing Firefighter Morton, injuring 13 other people, and destroying five homes and 15 other structures.
Jimenez's party became one of the most disastrous gender reveal events to date. Gender reveal parties became a popular tradition in the United States in the 2000s, and have spread elsewhere since then. The parties, which are usually staged with as much ostentation as possible, include elaborate fireworks displays and other dangerous stunts, which have repeatedly resulted in massive fires, powerful explosions, and even fatal plane crashes.
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