Human skin teddy bear found: Is it artwork or crime scene evidence?

Passersby reportedly found an apparent human skin teddy bear outside a gas station in Victorville, California Sunday, July 13, 2025. They reported the grisly find to the police, who immediately declared a crime scene investigation.

But in the aftermath of the gruesome discovery, however, an artist came forward to say the teddy bear that seemed to be made from patchwork human flesh was his and was a piece of art, not evidence of a crime, according to the Victorville Daily Press. The bear has reportedly now been linked to DarkSeed Creations, a South Carolina company run by Robert Kelly.

The DarkSeed update

As news of the shocking discovery spread online, Kelly shared a video on social media, showing similar creations. Kelly’s post said the following, “Lol so about an hour ago I found out a news article in Victorville Ca has one of my skin bears used in a prank at a bus station there,” misstating where the bear was found. He added, “My phone is dying from trying to keep up with answering everyone lol.”

Kelly confirmed he made the bear, and that his Etsy shop was “screenshotted” in news articles related to the case. He also confirmed he shipped the bear to Victorville last week, and that they were still available to order.

Kelly, however, added, “No I did not have any knowledge of the buyers intentions nor was I involved in a prank on the other side of the nation from me.”

It’s not real flesh

It’s still unclear who ordered the bear or how it ended up where it was found. It has been confirmed by Kelly and reported by multiple news sources that the bear is made of latex, not real human skin.

Darkseed Creations’ website says, “We are DarkSeed Creations, a small but motivated company specializing in Horror Culture and Special Effects. We believe passionately in quality work and excellent service, which is why we commit ourselves to giving you the best of both.”

“If you’re looking for something creepy, you’re in the right place. We strive to be scary creative and innovative while offering our customers something they want, and putting their ideas at the top of our priority list.”

After the bear was reported, police said, “A caller reported finding an object that appeared to be human remains. A coroner investigator has taken possession of the object, and the investigation is continuing. Further information regarding the investigation will be released when available,” a police department spokesperson said.

Police later confirmed the bear was made of latex, not real skin. They have not released details about potential charges related to the “prank.“