{"id":18295,"date":"2026-06-26T23:01:44","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T23:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=18295"},"modified":"2026-06-26T23:01:44","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T23:01:44","slug":"fireworks-killed-her-8-year-old-daughter-but-mom-says-im-not-pushing-for-any-charges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/siliconvalleymovingpost.com\/?p=18295","title":{"rendered":"Fireworks killed her 8-year-old daughter. But mom says, \u2018I\u2019m not pushing for any charges\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Last Fourth of July, 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen was killed in a fireworks explosion at a Buena Park neighborhood celebration.<\/p>\n

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Nearly a year later, the homeowner who was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter has not been charged \u2014 and Jasmine\u2019s mother says she doesn\u2019t want him to be.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not pushing for any charges,\u201d Haley Nguyen said in an interview on Wednesday, June 24. \u201cIt really was an accident.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Orange County District Attorney\u2019s Office said this week that the case remains under review for potential homicide charges. The homeowner, Earl Decastro, could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt happened so quick. A fun day of friends turns into a nightmare,\u201d Nguyen said. \u201cSome people were bleeding through their shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her mother was also struck by the fireworks but recovered.<\/p>\n

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Several hours after Jasmine was rushed to the emergency room, Nguyen learned her daughter died from internal bleeding.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t expect that she would be gone,\u201d she said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t do anything. I sat for months.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI can\u2019t hug her or hear her voice,\u201d Nguyen said. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot quieter.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s death, shortly before what would have been the girl\u2019s ninth birthday.<\/p>\n

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Jasmine was also part of the dance group 3\u00e2m, which shared a video tribute celebrating her life, filled with clips of Jasmine smiling, laughing and dancing.<\/p>\n

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8-year-old Anaheim girl dies after fireworks explosion in Buena Park; homeowner arrested<\/p>\n

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