Suspect arrested following Lake Pleasant bonfire explosion that left teen girl in ICU
LAKE PLEASANT, Ariz. - An arrest was made after a bonfire explosion at Lake Pleasant sent a 16-year-old girl to the ICU unit the night before Halloween, Phoenix Police said.
The backstory:
At around 10:30 p.m. on Oct. 30, 16-year-old Jaidynn Penberthy was seriously hurt and found with significant facial injuries following an explosion near a bonfire in the area of 67th Avenue and North New River Road.
Penberthy was taken to the hospital, and is now being treated at the Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix. Several others were treated for minor injuries.
Featured
Arizona teen in ICU following Lake Pleasant bonfire explosion the night before Halloween
A 16-year-old girl remains hospitalized in Phoenix after a car shock tossed into a bonfire exploded, breaking her jaw and cheekbones. Loved ones are seeking information and raising money for care.
What they're saying:
"The preliminary investigation revealed a large group of juveniles and young adults had gathered around a bonfire near West Saddle Mountain Road and North New River Road when an individual allegedly threw an object into the fire," Phoenix Police said. "Approximately three to five minutes later, the object exploded, causing the victim’s injuries and minor injuries to several others."
Arrest Made:
As detectives gathered evidence and conducted interviews since the incident, they identified the suspect as 24-year-old Samuel Schnee. On Nov. 6, Schnee was found and taken into custody on several felonies, including multiple aggravated assault and endangerment charges.
The victim's sister, Rilyne Penberthy, confirmed the arrest of Schnee to FOX 10.
Dig deeper:
Rilyne says a vehicle shock was thrown into the flames, and when it blew up, it hit Jaidynn in the jaw.
"It wasn't just the only car part," Rilyne said. "They found other car parts inside the fire, but that's the only one that exploded that we know of."
According to the sister, the teen girl also broke her upper and lower jaw, both her cheekbones, and fractured her nose. She also reportedly suffered burns on her leg and behind.
"There are a few kids that picked her up, put her in the truck, and he's the one that called police and brought her to the gas station and made sure she was safe until ambulance got there and brought her to the hospital," Rilyne said.
What you can do:
The family set up a GoFundMe to raise money for expenses.
What's next:
The teen's family asked anyone with additional information to come forward.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from the Phoenix Police Department; Rilyne Penberthy, sister of victim Jaidynn Penberthy; and previous FOX 10 reporting.