A Halloween night bonfire near Lake Pleasant turned into a nightmare for a 16-year-old Peoria girl after someone allegedly tossed a vehicle shock absorber into the flames, triggering an explosion that left her with a broken jaw, facial fractures and severe burns. Phoenix police are still searching for the person responsible, described only as a teen or young man who fled before officers arrived.
Officers responded around 10:30 p.m. Friday to the blast near New River and Saddle Mountain roads, close to Lake Pleasant, according to azfamily.com. Investigators say a suspect between 16 and 25 years old threw the car part into the fire and left before police arrived, per the same report.
Multiple people at the party were struck by flying debris when the shock absorber ignited, but only one person was seriously hurt: 16-year-old Jaidynn Penberthy. Her brother told reporters she was standing just 10 feet from the fire when the explosion knocked her unconscious.
Injuries Requiring Facial Reconstruction
Penberthy's brother described the extent of her injuries in stark terms. “She has a broken jaw, multiple facial fractures, missing teeth and burns,” he said, according to the Arizona's Family report that first brought the incident to light.
She was flown to a burn center and has already undergone facial reconstruction surgery, but the report notes she still needs several more operations. A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover her medical expenses, though no fundraising total or link was included in the available reporting.
Suspect Still At Large
No arrest has been announced, and the suspect's identity remains unknown. Phoenix police have not released a statement detailing the investigation beyond the broad description of a teen or young man accused of throwing the car part into the flames before slipping away from the scene.
For now, the case remains open as Penberthy continues her recovery from injuries that upended what should have been an ordinary Halloween gathering in the desert near Lake Pleasant.
