'Child's Body' Floating In South Jersey Marsh Actually Lifelike Doll: Police

EGG HARBOR TWP., NJ — Egg Harbor Township police investigated what they thought was a homicide Wednesday after a fisherman found what he thought was a child's body floating in the marsh.

But it actually was a lifelike, anatomically correct silicone doll, according to police.

Police were called to the area of Ocean Drive off Longport Boulevard Wednesday morning along with the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office's Major Crimes Unit and New Jersey State Police.

Following protocol, it was treated as a homicide investigation - until it was determined that the object was not a human body and instead, a silicone doll, wrapped inside a blanket and duct tape, police said.

"Police will continue to investigate who may have discarded this lifelike doll, and why they chose to do so in a way that wasted valuable resources while it was investigated," authorities said.

Police added that they were "thankful" it wasn't a real child, and thanked the other agencies for their help.

They asked that anyone with information about this incident contact the Egg Harbor Township Police Department.