A teddy bear that looked disturbingly like it was crafted from bloody flesh triggered a law enforcement response in Victorville, California, over the weekend. The bear, left at a local bus stop on Sunday, had sheriff's deputies and a coroner's investigator examining whether someone had stumbled upon a grisly crime scene. Initial worries were fueled by the doll's uncanny resemblance to human skin, leading investigators to examine the object for signs of real tissue.
After some forensic sleuthing, both a deputy coroner and a forensic pathologist determined the bear was made entirely of synthetic materials—not a trace of human origin. The strange find was soon traced back to South Carolina artist Robert Kelly, who confirmed the $165 bear (warning: gross) was one of his creations, sold under his label DarkSeed Creations. Kelly, who says he's produced dozens of similar bears over the last two decades, specializes in crafting latex items colored to mimic human skin, often using live castings of real people to heighten realism.
His clientele runs from haunted attractions to online novelty shoppers. This particular bear had been shipped to Victorville via Etsy, with Kelly quickly recognizing the handiwork once photos began circulating online. "I guess I'd probably be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it a little bit," Kelly tells KABC. "I know what starving artist life feels like. So, a little attention is sometimes good," even if he can't condone what the buyer of his teddy bear eventually did with it to get "some people riled up."
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San Bernardino County authorities say their investigation is still ongoing, even though the bear turned out to be less sinister than it appeared. As for Kelly, he describes himself as a fan of horror and the macabre—his work is inspired, in part, by films like Hellraiser. His broader portfolio reportedly includes everything from guitars to couches, all given the same unsettling latex treatment.
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