BUENA PARK, CA – An Orange County man faces felony charges, including involuntary manslaughter, following a horrific Fourth of July fireworks explosion that claimed the life of an 8-year-old girl last year.
Tragic Holiday Explosion
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office announced that Earl Decastro, 47, of Buena Park, was charged on July 1, 2026.
According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on July 4, 2025, during a holiday party at Decastro’s home. Among the guests were 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen, her sister, and her mother, Haley Nguyen.
Authorities state that Decastro had been lighting a mix of legal and illegal fireworks for over an hour. As a grand finale, he ignited a massive, $400 illegal firework “cake” containing professional-grade explosives that required a specialized permit to handle.
Malfunction Leads to Chaos
Seconds after ignition, the professional-grade firework malfunctioned, shooting live mortar shells directly into the driveway where guests were gathered.
The 8-year-old was sitting near a table containing additional unspent fireworks. As the crowd scrambled for safety, the stray mortars ignited the unspent fireworks right next to the young girl before she could escape.
Buena Park police officers arrived to find the child with critical injuries. She was rushed to UCI Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. Her mother was also struck by the fireworks but survived.
Severe Charges and DA Response
Decastro has been officially hit with multiple felony counts, including:
- Involuntary manslaughter
- Recklessly setting fire causing great bodily injury
- Illegal possession of more than 100 pounds of dangerous fireworks
If convicted on all charges, Decastro faces up to six years in state prison.
Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer issued a stern warning ahead of the upcoming holiday weekend, stating, “There is nothing accidental about buying and lighting illegal fireworks. An 8-year-old little girl is dead and the man who killed her is going to be held responsible.”
