A suspected homicide investigation in Australia was closed after forensic testing confirmed a suitcase found on a rural road contained a lifelike doll, not human remains.
Two men discovered the suitcase near the village of Oallen, about 230 kilometres south-west of Sydney, prompting a major police response on Sunday with officers establishing a crime scene. Heavy rain and the remote location delayed the examination. Superintendent Linda Bradbury of the Hume Police District confirmed the contents were not human, and police later said the item was believed to be a sex doll.
The doll was dressed in clothing and had hair, a nose piercing, and markings resembling bruises and grazes. Police announced a murder investigation on Monday but retracted it hours later once forensic analysis was complete. Authorities have since closed all investigations into the incident.