Missouri teenage burglars realized they made a horrible mistake when the cocaine they stole from a woman's home turned out to be cremated remains, police said, according to The Smoking Gun.
The three suspects, ages 15 through 17, broke into a residence in St. Peters and stole cash, jewelry and electronics said to be worth over $2,000, according to a probable cause statement filed last week.
One of the suspects, 17-year-old Devin Gesell, told police they also took a wooden box filled with what they thought was cocaine. But after tasting the "cocaine," they realized it wasn't drugs and threw everything out the window of their getaway car, police said.
It's not clear which one of the suspects tasted the contents, which were "the ashes/remains of the victim's father," police said.
Gesell, who admitted to being the lookout during the break-in, was arrested for the Nov. 22 incident and charged with second degree burglary and stealing over $500, according to the probable cause statement. His alleged accomplices, ages 15 and 16, are being charged as juveniles.
The alleged victim, homeowner Debora Matthews, told KMOV she was dumbfounded when she found out what was stolen.
"I just couldn't believe that they would take the ashes," Matthews said. "But you know, they were kids and I guess just stupid."