Additional Coverage:
- Australian homicide investigation called off after ‘body’ turns out to be lifelike doll (nbcnews.com)
Australian Police Conclude Homicide Inquiry After Suitcase Contained Realistic Doll
SYDNEY – What began as a grim discovery during a Sunday drive in a remote Australian town has been resolved with relief after police determined that the contents of a suspicious suitcase were not human remains.
Two passersby in Oallen, located about 125 miles southwest of Sydney, found a suitcase abandoned by the roadside. Upon opening it, they believed they had uncovered parts of a human body, prompting a homicide investigation.
However, forensic analysis revealed that the suitcase contained a lifelike doll, complete with clothing, hair, and even a nose piercing. The doll bore markings resembling bruises and grazes, contributing to its unsettling realism.
Police established a crime scene but refrained from closely examining the contents initially, citing concerns about preserving any evidence amid adverse weather conditions. Superintendent Linda Bradbury explained that officers preferred to avoid disturbing the item on site, especially given the inclement weather experienced over the past two days.
“The item was very realistic in terms of looking like human remains,” Bradbury noted, underscoring the understandably cautious approach taken by investigators.
With the clarification that no crime had occurred, authorities have closed the case, bringing an unusual episode to an end in the quiet town of Oallen.