Human remains found inside Pend Oreille River cave turns out to be elaborate prank

A call reporting the discovery of human remains inside a cave along the Pend Oreille River turned out to be an elaborate prank, leaving authorities both amused and perplexed.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Officer Erickson, working in conjunction with a Pend Oreille Detective and a Border Patrol Agent, responded to the initial report. The caller had stumbled upon what appeared to be a skull and a spinal column inside the cave while paddleboarding.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Officer Erickson and the detective used jet skis to reach the cave’s entrance, then swam inside to investigate further. To get a closer look at the alleged skull, Officer Erickson used a borrowed pair of goggles, generously offered by some nearby boaters. As he dove, he realized the ominous find was, in fact, not what it seemed.

Instead of human remains, the officers discovered a plastic skull beer bong, which was cunningly filled with rocks and positioned at the cave’s bottom. It became evident that this was a prank aimed at tricking unsuspecting adventurers exploring the area.

The people behind the hoax certainly succeeded in their mission, as authorities were initially convinced they were dealing with a genuine mystery.