Lifelike doll with 'bruises and grazes' sparks mistaken Australian murder inquiry
Australian police launched a murder investigation after two men discovered a suitcase containing what appeared to be human remains. Forensic testing later confirmed the object was a highly realistic lifelike doll.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing realism of modern dolls and the challenges this poses for law enforcement in identifying potential crime scenes.
Image source, ABC News Image caption, Forensic testing revealed that what police initially thought was a woman's body was actually a lifelike doll
A lifelike doll with fake bruises and grazes, hair and a nose piercing has sparked a mistaken murder investigation by Australian police.
On Sunday afternoon, two men reported finding a body in a suitcase on the side of a road near the small village of Oallen, about 230km (143 miles) south-west of Sydney.
On Monday, police announced a murder investigation, sparking intense interest in the case but hours later, authorities backtracked, saying forensic testing had proved the contents were not human.
Instead, the item was a "lifelike doll, wearing clothing, with hair and a nose piercing," police said, and "the item also had markings that resembled bruises and grazes".
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