A bizarre and unsettling discovery outside a Victorville gas station, California on Sunday afternoon sent shockwaves through the community and prompted a police and coroner investigation, until a horror artist stepped forward to set the record straight.
The object in question: a teddy bear, but not the cuddly kind. Witnesses described the bear as covered in a leathery, skin-like material, with stitched-on features resembling a human face, prompting immediate concern and the closure of the gas station for nearly two hours.
Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to the ARCO/AMPM on Bear Valley Road around 12:30 p.m. on July 13, 2025, after a caller reported finding what appeared to be human remains.
Crime scene tape surrounded the storefront as a coroner investigator collected the bear for further examination. Photos and videos from the scene quickly spread online, fueling speculation and alarm about the bear’s origins.
However, the mystery took a turn later that day when the creator of the bear, Robert Kelly of Dark Seed Creations, commented on social media to claim responsibility. Kelly, a South Carolina-based artist specializing in horror effects and haunted attractions, confirmed that the bear was a custom-made art piece crafted from latex and shipped to a customer in Victorville earlier in the week.
“So this is my teddy bear. I made this and sent it to a customer there earlier in the week. No way this is real lol. This is an item we make for order,” Kelly wrote, sharing photos of similar horror-themed bears he sells online.
Kelly told reporters he was surprised by the attention:
“I guess I’d probably be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying it a little bit. You know, I’m an independent artist, so a little attention is sometimes good regardless of not being able to condone whatever. I mean, I don’t know if the guy broke any laws or it was just a prank, but it looks like he definitely got some people riled up”.
Listings for similar “human skin teddy bears” can be found online for around $165, and while the bear’s appearance is shockingly realistic, it is made entirely of synthetic materials. There is no evidence of actual human remains.
As of Sunday evening, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department had not released an official update confirming the artist’s claim, and the investigation remains ongoing. The incident, however, appears to be an elaborate prank or art project rather than a crime scene.
The object in question: a teddy bear, but not the cuddly kind. Witnesses described the bear as covered in a leathery, skin-like material, with stitched-on features resembling a human face, prompting immediate concern and the closure of the gas station for nearly two hours.
Deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department responded to the ARCO/AMPM on Bear Valley Road around 12:30 p.m. on July 13, 2025, after a caller reported finding what appeared to be human remains.
Crime scene tape surrounded the storefront as a coroner investigator collected the bear for further examination. Photos and videos from the scene quickly spread online, fueling speculation and alarm about the bear’s origins.
However, the mystery took a turn later that day when the creator of the bear, Robert Kelly of Dark Seed Creations, commented on social media to claim responsibility. Kelly, a South Carolina-based artist specializing in horror effects and haunted attractions, confirmed that the bear was a custom-made art piece crafted from latex and shipped to a customer in Victorville earlier in the week.
“So this is my teddy bear. I made this and sent it to a customer there earlier in the week. No way this is real lol. This is an item we make for order,” Kelly wrote, sharing photos of similar horror-themed bears he sells online.
Kelly told reporters he was surprised by the attention:
“I guess I’d probably be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying it a little bit. You know, I’m an independent artist, so a little attention is sometimes good regardless of not being able to condone whatever. I mean, I don’t know if the guy broke any laws or it was just a prank, but it looks like he definitely got some people riled up”.
Listings for similar “human skin teddy bears” can be found online for around $165, and while the bear’s appearance is shockingly realistic, it is made entirely of synthetic materials. There is no evidence of actual human remains.
As of Sunday evening, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department had not released an official update confirming the artist’s claim, and the investigation remains ongoing. The incident, however, appears to be an elaborate prank or art project rather than a crime scene.
