A disturbing discovery on a California sidewalk triggered panic this week when residents and police found what appeared to be a teddy bear made from human skin. The bizarre-looking toy was spotted on Sunday near a gas station on Bear Valley Road, prompting an immediate investigation by authorities.
At first glance, the bear’s surface looked leathery and skin-like, with stitched features that mimicked human lips, a nose, and hollow eye sockets. The craftsmanship was so realistic it appeared as if human skin had been stretched, stitched, and pinned onto the doll.
Local authorities quickly cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. But after forensic analysis, officials determined that the bear was not made from any real human material. According to a statement from the coroner, “this doll was made of a fabricated material and was not of human origin,” adding that a forensic pathologist confirmed there was “no human tissue” present.
Investigators later discovered that the teddy bear was part of an art project and traced it back to an artist in South Carolina.
Robert Kelly, the creator behind Dark Seed Creations, confirmed in a Facebook post that he had designed and sold the bear through his Etsy shop to a customer in Victorville, California.
“Yes, I made the bear in the news video… Yes, I shipped that bear to an Etsy customer in Victorville, CA, last week,” Kelly wrote. “No, I was not involved in any prank and had no knowledge of the buyer’s intentions.”
In an interview with NBC News, Kelly explained that his creations are made using latex live-cast molds from real human models and dyed to resemble actual skin. “We’ve put skin on everything from guitars and teddy bears to couches,” he said.
Authorities have since removed the bear from the scene, but it’s unclear whether further investigation will continue following the artist’s confirmation of its origin.
What started as a horror-like mystery turned out to be a hyperrealistic art piece—albeit one that rattled an entire community.
