Supposed Human Remains Turn Out to Be Skeleton Beer Bong

Law enforcement officers in Washington dispatched to retrieve a potential corpse from a watery tomb were baffled to find a plastic beer bong shaped like a skeleton instead.

According to Big Country News Connection, a man paddle boarding on the Pend Oreille River near the Canadian border made the initial report to police. As he made his way through a cave, he spotted what appeared to be human remains.

Officer Severin Erickson, along with a local detective and Border Patrol agent, responded to the call. Because the location was so remote, the three investigators had to use jet skis to access the cave. Once at the entrance, they had to swim inside to reach the isolated corner containing the “corpse.”

Erickson eventually spotted what appeared to be a skull underwater. He took a closer look using a pair of goggles he borrowed from some boaters during their journey. Unfortunately, the goggles revealed a ruse.

The reported remains were nothing more than a plastic beer bong shaped like a skull and spinal column. It had been filled with rocks and, authorities believe, stuck underwater in the hopes of startling anyone passing by. Erickson can be seen beaming in a photo posted to Facebook, holding his discovery aloft.

While the prankster probably got the exact reaction they hoped for, Erickson and other local officials stress the importance of not manufacturing fake emergencies. It can distract first responders from situations that are actually critical. Plus, it isn’t fair to the plastic skeletons.