Last Fourth of July, 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen was killed in a fireworks explosion at a Buena Park neighborhood celebration.
Nearly a year later, the homeowner who was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter has not been charged — and Jasmine’s mother says she doesn’t want him to be.
“I’m not pushing for any charges,” Haley Nguyen said in an interview on Wednesday, June 24. “It really was an accident.”
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said this week that the case remains under review for potential homicide charges. The homeowner, Earl Decastro, could not be reached for comment.
Nguyen, her two daughters and her mother had attended a barbecue earlier in the day before deciding to continue the celebrations at a party hosted by a friend of a friend on Cornflower Circle in Buena Park. It was around 9:30 p.m. when the fireworks were lit.
Authorities allege Decastro had placed a display of illegal fireworks in the street. Investigators say the display malfunctioned and began firing toward the home, igniting additional illegal fireworks near where Jasmine and other partygoers were gathered in the driveway.
“It happened so quick. A fun day of friends turns into a nightmare,” Nguyen said. “Some people were bleeding through their shoes.”
Her mother was also struck by the fireworks but recovered.
Several hours after Jasmine was rushed to the emergency room, Nguyen learned her daughter died from internal bleeding.
“I didn’t expect that she would be gone,” she said. “I couldn’t do anything. I sat for months.
“I can’t hug her or hear her voice,” Nguyen said. “It’s a lot quieter.”
Jasmine was a joyous, energetic girl. She was well-known to customers at Greatea, the boba shop Nguyen opened when Jasmine was 4 years old. Nguyen closed the shop weeks after Jasmine’s death, shortly before what would have been the girl’s ninth birthday.
Jasmine was also part of the dance group 3âm, which shared a video tribute celebrating her life, filled with clips of Jasmine smiling, laughing and dancing.
The holidays and the approaching first anniversary of Jasmine’s death have been especially difficult for Nguyen and Jasmine’s younger sister, who was only a year younger and loved wearing matching outfits with her.
Nguyen and her younger daughter live in Anaheim, just across the street from Disneyland, which she said has caused issues in the wake of Jasmine’s death.
“The fireworks every night … it’s a little traumatizing,” Nguyen said. “Before, we loved fireworks. Now I have to wait for them to be done to sleep.”
Nguyen said she often watches videos that Jasmine posted to her YouTube account so she can hear her daughter’s voice again, and she seeks comfort in memories.
“We’re trying to bring her memories with us and move on slowly,” Nguyen said. “We’re trying to find strength.”
8-year-old Anaheim girl dies after fireworks explosion in Buena Park; homeowner arrested