An anthropologist made a haunting discovery after a real human skull was spotted in the Halloween display of a charity shop in Florida.
Police were alerted after the customer suspected the head smiling back at them was more than just a spooky decoration.
The shopper happened to be an anthropologist – someone who specialises in the scientific study of humans – meaning they were able to tell the difference between a real skull and an artificial counterpart.
The owner of the store in North Myers said the skull had been found in a storage unit purchased years beforehand.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office said: “In a twist of not-so-humerus events: today, Lee County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit detectives were notified of a skull located at a thrift store in North Fort Myers… Based upon the observations of detectives on scene, the skull is believed to be that of a human.”
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The Lee County Sheriff’s Office said it will work with the District 21 Medical Examiner’s Office to carry out further tests on the remains.
This case is not believed to be suspicious in nature.