Locals perplexed after severed feet keep washing up on their beaches
WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: A severed foot has become the 18th to wash up off the coast of Canada and the northeast US, continuing what has been a decade long mystery that has baffled locals.
The detached extremities have been found off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, and Washington State, with the latest washing up on Vancouver Island earlier this week.
A man was walking his dog along a beach in Jordan River when they found the decomposing foot still encased in a sneaker.
It comes more than 10 years after the first foot, a size 12 encased in an Indian made shoe, was discovered further down the coast on August 20, 2007.
The Coroners Service does not believe any of the cases involve foul play but rather accidents or suicide.
"I believe most of these were determined to be suicides," regional coroner Matt Brown said following the discovery of the 16th foot in 2016.
"In this case, we don't believe there is anything to indicate any level of suspicion at this time."
Of those 16 feet, only one pair has been found to be a match.
The coroner's investigation has been hampered by continuous pranks, including people placing chicken bones in discarded shoes and dropping them at a nearby shore.
Some compared the discoveries to popular TV show Dexter, where a serial killer disposes of his victims’ body parts at sea.
However, forensic expert Gail Anderson insisted there was a logical explanation for the bizarre findings.
“Something you’ll notice is that the only feet washing up are in running shoes … they’re not washing up in stilettos or sandals, or as bare feet,” she said.
“It’s basically a flotation device, so it’s going to hold it all together and get it washed ashore.”
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