Child grabbing ball finds ‘body’ in creek. It was really a sex doll, PA police say

A child was looking for a lost ball in a creek and spotted something disturbing — a human foot, complete with painted nails, sticking out from a dark-colored plastic bag, Pennsylvania police say.

Officers with the Tunkhannock Township Police Department went to the scene in neighboring Overfield Township where the bagged-up human remains were found, the department said in a Feb. 13 news release. It was just as reported, a foot protruding out of a plastic bag, likely filled with the rest of an unknown victim.

Officers and the coroner left the scene as it was and contacted Pennsylvania State Police for assistance, the release said.

Investigators opened the bag to reveal an “extremely lifelike” sex doll, according to police, “all the way down to the French pedicure it had.”

“We’ve seen this item referred to as a mannequin online. That really isn’t accurate,” the department said. “This was a lifelike silicone item used for self gratification.”

The “anatomically correct” doll was roughly 50 pounds and “the size of a small child,” according to the release.

Officials believe the doll was deliberately placed in the creek, TV station WJAC reported.

“What should have been an enjoyable walk on a Sunday afternoon along a stream turned traumatic, especially to the child,” Wyoming County District Attorney Joseph Peters said in a statement obtained by WJAC. “While this young person is aware that what (they) was not real remains, and though this young person is bright and resilient and fortunate to have two nurturing parents, the trauma of that sight may impact this child for years to come.”

Overfield Township is about 142 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

This story was originally published February 14, 2023 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Child grabbing ball finds ‘body’ in creek. It was really a sex doll, PA police say."