Buena Park Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter After 8-year-old Girl Died from Blast Injuries after the Illegal Explosive Grade Fireworks He Lit During a 2025 Fourth of[...]

Buena Park Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter

After 8-year-old Girl Died from Blast Injuries after the

Illegal Explosive Grade Fireworks He Lit During a

2025 Fourth of July Party Ignited a Stack of Other Illegal Fireworks

SANTA ANA - A Buena Park man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after an 8-year-old girl died from multiple internal injuries when the illegal explosive grade fireworks he ignited malfunctioned and began shooting fireballs into the crowd at a Fourth July party last year, causing a stack of dangerous fireworks to explode next to the little girl.

Earl Decastro, 47, has been charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen on July 4, 2025, along with recklessly setting fire causing great bodily injury, and the illegal possession of more than 100 pounds of dangerous fireworks. He faces a maximum sentence of 6 years in state prison.

On July 4, 2025, Jasmine, her mother, and her 7-year-old sister were at Decastro's Buena Park home for a Fourth of July party. Decastro is accused of buying both legal and illegal fireworks to light at the party, including an illegal $400 firework "cake" he bought from an unlicensed seller which contained professional grade explosives that require a permit or license to buy, store, transport, or use.

After lighting off fireworks in the street in front of his house for more than an hour, Decastro is accused of igniting the illegal $400 firework "cake" as a grand finale. After a few seconds, the illegal firework malfunctioned and shot aerial mortar shells into the driveway where the partygoers were gathered to watch the "show."

Jasmine was sitting with her family next to a covered table that had additional dangerous unspent fireworks when the mortars shot into the crowd. The partygoers ran into Decastro's home, but the unspent fireworks exploded near Jasmine before she could run to safety.

Buena Park police officers arrived immediately and tried to revive Jasmine, but those efforts were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at UCI Medical Center.

"There is nothing accidental about buying and lighting illegal fireworks," said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. "An eight-year-old little girl is dead and the man who killed her is going to be held responsible. A few seconds of fun is not worth a lifetime of trauma and the loss of a beautiful little girl who never had the chance to grow up. Actions have consequences, and I would hope that anyone thinking of lighting illegal fireworks this holiday would think of little Jasmine's face first and choose instead to celebrate safely."

Senior Deputy District Attorney Mallory Miller of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.

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