Dog finds foot (Not human - Bear's foot) Russellville, AL

[Grande]

Dog brings child's foot to Ala. home
Associated Press - September 22, 2008 10:44 AM ET

RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Authorities in northwest Alabama are investigating the discovery of a child's severed foot in a subdivision.

Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said officers were called to a home around midnight Saturday after a resident found what appeared to be a human foot that had been dragged up by a dog.

Hargett said an orthopedic surgeon confirmed that the foot belonged to a child.

Teams using dogs weren't able to find additional remains during a daylong search on Sunday. Authorities plan to resume the search Tuesday in hopes that any scent from decomposing remains may be stronger by then.

Police are also checking for reports of missing children.

http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=9050392

[Grande]

Police look for origin of foot found by dog
By Tom Smith
Senior Staff Writer
Published: Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5:30 a.m.

Police and other rescue personnel using cadaver dogs were unsuccessful in trying to locate where what appears to be a child's foot may have come from, or any other remains, authorities said.

http://i33.tinypic.com/2d1sis3.jpg
Members of a canine search team walk up Circle Drive after a neighborhood dog brought up what appears to be a human foot to a home in the Hester Heights subdivision of Russellville.

Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said the search began early Sunday morning and lasted until around 7 p.m.

"We were doing a grid search, but we didn't find anything that could be useful at this point," Hargett said.

Department officials said dogs from HEMSI in Huntsville and the North Alabama Search Dog association in Madison were called to Russellville Sunday morning to begin the search in a wooden area in the northern part of Hester Heights Subdivision, which is just off U.S. 43.

He said the dogs were scheduled to return Tuesday and resume the search. Hargett said search and rescue personnel said the scent should be stronger by then.

He said the foot has been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences to be tested.

"All we know at this point is that (the remains that were found) are human and it appears to be a child's foot," said Hargett. "The foot was not badly decomposed, but as far as the gender or the age of the person, we can't be sure until the remains are tested by forensics."

Hargett said police were called to a residence on Circle Drive in Hester Heights subdivision around midnight Saturday when a home owner discovered what he described as a foot that was dragged up by a dog.

The chief said the foot was taken to Russellville Hospital Emergency Room, where a doctor said it was "probably human."

"We then contacted the orthopedic surgeon on call, who confirmed it was a child's foot," Hargett said.

The chief said authorities have been trying to find any kind of evidence that could help them determine if there are other remains in the area, if the foot had been dragged a long distance by the animal or where the dog may have found the remains.

"We've got a lot of questions and no answers at this point," he said. "We need to find out where the remains came from, but at this point, we haven't been able to pinpoint that.

"We're hoping the forensics report will help us at least know the age and gender of the person we're looking for."

Hargett said his department doesn't have any open cases involving missing children.

He said the Alabama Bureau of Investigation was contacted and is working with his department in the investigation.

"We're checking with agencies in surrounding counties to see if they have any active missing children cases," Hargett said. "We're trying to look into every avenue we have at this point, trying to come up with the answers to these questions."

The chief said anyone who knows anything about the remains or about a missing child or small adult that has not been reported is asked to contact Shoals Area CrimeStoppers at 386-8685 or any local law enforcement agency.

http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20080922/ARTICLES/809220324?Title=Police_look_for_origin_of_foot_fou nd_by_dog

[Roamer]

There's a young boy missing from Birmingham since Friday, Grande. Heard it on the news very early this morning, but couldn't find it on the net at that time. It may be there now, I'll go and look.

Wasn't an alert, police just asking for help finding him.

[nicky]

www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20080922/APN/809221222

Says they are waiting until Tuesday to bring the dogs back in hopes that the decomposing remains will be stronger by then.

[Roamer]

The boy missing from Birmingham is Alex Johnson, age 10.

I've started him a thread under Missing Children, although they aren't giving much information yet.

[Grande]

The boy missing from Birmingham is Alex Johnson, age 10.

I've started him a thread under Missing Children, although they aren't giving much information yet.

Thank you Roamer.

[KittyMom]

Wow. Can you imagine?

[Claudia]

Wow. Can you imagine?

No, I can't. How horrifying! :faintTHUD:
I hope they find where it came from soon.

[nicky]

I can't post the video, but there is a link to the video of an officer being interviewed on www.whnt.com/global/story.asp?s=9048374

[nicky]

www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=9053965

Sourc of childs foot still unknown

[nicky]

www.waaytv.com/global/story.asp?s=9053618

[Claycat]

Oh, God!:1187603408.CR.Mothe

[KittyMom]

http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20080922/NEWS/809220293/-1/OPINION05?Title=Tests_on_foot__inconclusive_

Tests conducted today by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences on a foot that was found by a dog Saturday night have not been helpful to police.

“They did tests to determine if it is human or not, and those tests were inconclusive,” said Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett. “More tests are scheduled for tomorrow.”



How hard is it to figure out...if it is small, has 5 toes and smells of decomp? This really needs to be a priority for Al. Find this child.

[Brianne]

The little boy Alex Johnson was located and is back at home.

http://www.nbc13.com/vtm/news/local/article/missing_10_year_old_from_birmingham_located/37590/

[PatC]

I'm glad the little boy was found. ... but apparently there's another child missing.

I'm so glad to read they brought the dogs in right away... so often they wait... and wait... all the while human searchers are tramping across the trail.

I have to say, though, I don't see why a good dog couldn't have back tracked from where the foot was brought home by the family pet.

[TigressPen]

This case just astounds me. I wonder if the dog that brought it home would go back to where he found the foot in search of more.

[Grande]

Family Dog Finds Severed Child's Foot
Updated: Sep 23, 2008 08:43 AM CDT

A family dog found a child's foot.

The foot was found in the front yard of a home in Russellville, Alabama.

Investigators have not found the origin of the foot.

After an all day search Sunday, the search was called off Monday.

Initial forensic tests came back inconclusive, so more tests have been ordered.

Friday night a dog found the foot.

The family found the limb in the front yard of their home.

Chris Hargett, Russellville Police Chief, said, "The location where it was found was bizarre because it was a residential location."

Even though Circle Drive is residential, the neighborhood is heavily wooded.

It is also very close to Highway 43 going into Russellville.

Hargett said, "Today we are waiting on forensics to get back with us any information that will narrow the search down."

They hope the tests will tell them the age range, race, and sex of the child the foot belongs too.

They feel the foot had not been detached long because of its condition.

Right now their goal is trying to find out where it came from.

"We are not even sure if that is the spot were it originally was located," said Hargett.

Hargett says there were several dogs in the area, and it could have come from anywhere.

They are going to continue to search their missing people files, and want the public to be on the look out.

Hargett said, "If anyone has any information about people who are missing that they are waiting to report, it might be a good idea to do that now."

Search dogs will be brought back in the area.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9057200

[Nut44x4]

Thanks for bringing this in Grande. I read it yesterday and fully expected they would find a child's body relatively soon, so I did not post it. Where on earth is the rest of the body and who is it?? I will be all over this one!!

[Stacey3772]

Thanks for bringing this in Grande. I read it yesterday and fully expected they would find a child's body relatively soon, so I did not post it. Where on earth is the rest of the body and who is it?? I will be all over this one!!

agreed! This is insane.... you would think any child missing ANYWHERE in the US within the last couple weeks would be a possibility.... you would think they could come up with an approximate age by the size of the foot.... 4 inches? 7?

was it a clean cut, like dismemberment (sorry:000a1:) or is there "gnawing"....

this is another case that will haunt me.

[nicky]

Mystery part sent to UAB

www.timesdaily.com/article/20080924/ARTICLES/809240317/1011/NEWS?Title=Mystery_part_sent_to_UAB

[Claycat]

Thanks for the update, Nicky!

[nicky]

Thanks for the update, Nicky!

NP! I just wish they would hurry up and make an id so they know who to look for.(race, age, etc.)

[nicky]

www.whnt.com/global/story.asp?=9048374

ABI is there now.

[Nut44x4]

What is ABI? The link above has nothing on it.....??

[Roamer]

Alabama Bureau of Investigation.

[Nut44x4]

Thanks Roamer, I should have known that, lol.

UPDATE-Tests Inconclusive on Supposed Child's Foot

8/23/08 UPDATE- RUSSELLVILLE, Ala.- Police in north Alabama say a second round of forensics testing has failed to confirm whether an object believed to be a child's foot really came from a human.

Authorities have spent two days searching in the town of Russellville after a dog brought home a piece of tissue that a doctor identified as the foot of a young child.

But Police Chief Chris Hargett said Tuesday forensics investigators have been unable to determine whether the object is actually from a human. He said it will be sent to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for additional tests.

Teams have used dogs to search for human remains near the subdivision where the object was found over the weekend.

http://www.waaytv.com/Global/story.asp?s=9053618
~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere I read it was a 'bare foot', which led me to believe it was not skeletal. Now this says a piece of tissue! WTF is up with them not being able to say if it is human or not?? Strange...

[Stacey3772]

Thanks Roamer, I should have known that, lol.

UPDATE-Tests Inconclusive on Supposed Child's Foot

8/23/08 UPDATE- RUSSELLVILLE, Ala.- Police in north Alabama say a second round of forensics testing has failed to confirm whether an object believed to be a child's foot really came from a human.

Authorities have spent two days searching in the town of Russellville after a dog brought home a piece of tissue that a doctor identified as the foot of a young child.

But Police Chief Chris Hargett said Tuesday forensics investigators have been unable to determine whether the object is actually from a human. He said it will be sent to the University of Alabama at Birmingham for additional tests.

Teams have used dogs to search for human remains near the subdivision where the object was found over the weekend.

http://www.waaytv.com/Global/story.asp?s=9053618
~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere I read it was a 'bare foot', which led me to believe it was not skeletal. Now this says a piece of tissue! WTF is up with them not being able to say if it is human or not?? Strange...

I just dint understand that, sorry. How hard would it be to determine>>??!

[Nut44x4]

"All we know at this point is that (the remains that were found) are human and it appears to be a child's foot," said Hargett. "The foot was not badly decomposed, but as far as the gender or the age of the person, we can't be sure until the remains are tested by forensics."

http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20080922/ARTICLES/809220324

Ughhhh....hope more news breaks on this soon w/ more info!!

[packy]

RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Police in north Alabama say that tests on a foot believed to be from a young child determined that it was actually from a dead bear.

http://www.wtvynews4.com/alabamanews/headlines/29756504.html

[KittyMom]

Wow...who would've thought?

[Breezy]

RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. (AP) - Police in north Alabama say that tests on a foot believed to be from a young child determined that it was actually from a dead bear.

http://www.wtvynews4.com/alabamanews/headlines/29756504.html

Wow, wouldn't there be a significant difference between a childs foot and a bears foot.....

I could have sworn it said the foot wasn't in that bad of shape....I'll have to go back and look.

Odd.

[Grande]

Severed Foot Believed to Belong to Child Actually From Baby Bear
Friday, September 26, 2008

RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. — Tests on a foot believed to be from a child determined it actually was from a young bear, police said Thursday to end a mystery that prompted searches and worries in a northwest Alabama town.

Authorities spent two days searching for possible human remains after a dog showed up at home late Saturday with what appeared to be the severed foot of a young child. Officials feared a child had been killed and left in the woods.

But Police Chief Chris Hargett said forensics tests confirmed the object was most likely the paw of a young bear. He said the paw was similar enough to a human foot to fool an orthopedic surgeon who examined it and believed it belonged to a youngster.

"The great thing is it's not a child," he said. "The most unusual thing is that we've never heard of bears being in Russellville."

Russellville, with about 9,000 residents, is located in a heavily wooded, hilly corner of Alabama. Teams using cadaver-sniffing dogs searched for human remains for two days without finding anything.

"We've either got a three-legged bear wandering around or a dead one in the woods somewhere," Hargett said.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,428401,00.html

[packy]

Wow, wouldn't there be a significant difference between a childs foot and a bears foot.....

I could have sworn it said the foot wasn't in that bad of shape....I'll have to go back and look.

Odd.

You would think so and it seemed like they did say it was not fully decomposed. Yes, odd and a doctor said it was a child's foot.

[Stacey3772]

You would think so and it seemed like they did say it was not fully decomposed. Yes, odd and a doctor said it was a child's foot.

Bet that doctors embarassed now! :71526:

[Breezy]

Police look for origin of foot found by dog
By Tom Smith
Senior Staff Writer
Published: Monday, September 22, 2008 at 5:30 a.m.

"All we know at this point is that (the remains that were found) are human and it appears to be a child's foot," said Hargett. "The foot was not badly decomposed, but as far as the gender or the age of the person, we can't be sure until the remains are tested by forensics."



This is the article that said it wasn't badly decomposed.

[Stacey3772]

This is the article that said it wasn't badly decomposed.

Boy, someone dropped the ball BIG TIME on that one...

[nicky]

Thanks guys for keeping this updated! I've been out of pocket lately! I'm glad it wasn't a missing child!

[Nut44x4]

Unbelievable.....

[Nut44x4]

but again, I will say....Unbelievable :groan:

[packy]

How could they mistake it since bears have claws and humans have toenails????

[Claudia]

I want the name of that orthopedic surgeon - so I make damn sure I never, ever go to him!!!! :francis:

[Nut44x4]

:67302: I KNOW!! :groan: