Calif. Man Blows Hand off While Mixing Explosives
Calif. man blows hand off mixing explosives at home doubling as pot farm, child care facility
Explosives and a marijuana farm were discovered at a Southern California home doubling as a child day care center after a man blew off his hand while mixing homemade explosives, authorities said Thursday.
Benjamin Kuzelka, 23, remained hospitalized and his mother and brother were arrested and jailed, Riverside County authorities said.
Authorities went to the home after a local hospital reported late Wednesday that Kuzelka had walked in and said he had shot himself in the hand, but the wound was inconsistent with that type of injury, sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said.
Investigators found explosives, a sophisticated marijuana growing facility and evidence that the home recently had been used as a state-licensed child care facility, Gutierrez said. The home is on a cul-de-sac in the small town 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
"We do believe that when all this illegal activity was going on, that children were present," he said. However, no children were home at the time of the explosion, authorities said.
Kuzelka's mother, Rebecca Kuzelka, 55, and brother Grey Kuzelka, 21, were arrested at the home for investigation of child endangerment, manufacture of explosives and cultivating marijuana, Deputy Melissa Nieburger said.
ABCA family of DUmmies, obviously.
