OC Man Charged With Manslaughter When Illegal Firework Explodes, Kills Little Girl

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — A Buena Park man was charged with a 4th of July illegal firework explosion that killed an 8-year-old girl last year, the Orange County District Attorney's office announced.

Earl Decastro, 47, was charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Jasmine Nguyen on July 4, 2025.

He was also charged with the illegal possession of more than 100 pounds of fireworks.

Decastro faces a maximum sentence of six years in state prison, according to prosecutors.

According to OCDA Todd Spitzer, Jasmine was at Decastro's Buena Park home with her mother and 7-year-old sister last Independence Day.

Decastro is accused of buying illegal fireworks to light at the party, including a $400 firework "cake" that he bought from an unlicensed seller which contained professional grade explosives, Spitzer said.

Decastro lit the firework "cake" as a grand finale to the festivities, but after a few seconds, the explosive malfunctioned and shot aerial mortar shells into the driveway — where partygoers were gathered to watch the show, Spitzer said.

Jasmine was sitting with her family next to a table that had additional unlit fireworks on its surface, Spitzer said.

The unlit fireworks exploded near Jasmine, who died from internal injuries.

"There is nothing accidental about buying and lighting illegal fireworks," Spitzer said. "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."