Police were called to a California beach where lifeguards discovered what appeared to be a human skull -- but turned out to be something a bit more mundane.
The Long Beach Police Department said lifeguards contacted authorities about 7:15 a.m. Monday when they found what appeared to be a human skull with part of its face missing washed up in the sand.
Rumors quickly spread on social media about the apparent grisly discovery, and police said they were close to launching a homicide investigation when medical examiners determined the skull was not from a human -- or any animal.
The item was determined to be a plastic prop skull that merely appeared realistic from a distance.
