VANCOUVER, Canada (AFP) — A detached foot found Wednesday on a beach in Western Canada does not belong to a human, but instead is a severed animal paw stuffed inside a running shoe, provincial corners said Thursday.
Since August five human feet have been found along the rugged south coast of the province of British Columbia, sparking international speculation about a possible murder mystery, or that they are remains of airplane or boat accident victims.
Scientists say the feet could have drifted dozens or thousands of kilometers because human body parts can remain intact in water for years when protected by shoes or sturdy clothing.
On Wednesday, a witness and police said the sixth detached foot to wash up in less than one year was found on a beach in Campbell River, 220 kilometers (137 miles) northwest of Vancouver.
The foot was in a men's size 10, right-foot Adidas running shoe, Police Sergeant Mike Tresoor said at the time.
But a terse news release Thursday, the British Columbia Coroners Service said a forensic pathologist and an anthropologist had "determined a skeletonized animal paw was inserted into the shoe with a sock and packed with dried seaweed."
The corner's release read: "It is the position of (the service) that this type of hoax is reprehensible and very disrespectful to the families of missing persons. It fuels inappropriate speculation and creates undue anxiety for families and communities while wasting valuable investigative time and resources."
Police said Thursday they will press charges against the jokester.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
