A Teddy Bear Wrapped in What Appears to Be Human Skin Was Left Near a California Gas Station

When life imitates art, it would be nice if the art life imitates is closer to a comedy than a horror movie. There is no shortage of unsettling stories in the world. Sometimes people go looking for these types of terrifying tales. Who among us hasn't been drawn to a creepy abandoned building, hoping to uncover a long-forgotten relic left by the last occupants? There are entire websites — and one popular film franchise —devoted to supposedly haunted objects that have cursed their owners.

With all this in mind, should we be accustomed to or horrified by a particularly gruesome item found at a gas station in California? Sadly, we are not referring to the world's oldest package of Slim Jims. About 90 miles north of Los Angeles in the city of Victorville, a teddy bear allegedly wrapped in human skin was discovered by the unluckiest person in the world. Here's what we know.

Authorities in Victorville were called to the AMPM store in the 13600 block of Bear Valley Road to investigate what appeared to be teddy bears wrapped in human skin, per NBC 4 Los Angeles. Footage of the bears shared on TikTok shows a stuffed animal with what looks like an almost human face, covered in large stitches all over its body. The material is smooth and flesh-colored.

Mara Rodriguez with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department told the outlet that a coroner investigator had "taken possession" of the object and was conducting an investigation. It didn't take long for someone to come forward regarding the macabre bear. Robert Kelly of Dark Seed Creations specializes in these ghastly toys. He told ABC 7 he started getting calls about it after someone spotted the teddy bear on the news.

Kelly quickly told authorities he designs these latex bears and confirmed one had been shipped to Victorville. "I guess I'd probably be lying if I said I wasn't enjoying it a little bit," he explained.

"You know, I'm an independent artist, so you know, I know what starving artist life feels like. So, a little attention is sometimes good regardless of not being able to condone whatever." For anyone interested in purchasing their own, they cost $165.