Residents of Palos Verdes Estates were met with a distressing sight on Christmas morning after a human leg washed ashore on the local beach. As reported by NBC Los Angeles, the gruesome discovery was made by a family out for a Christmas walk. The leg was found perched atop some rocks along the shoreline, prompting Palos Verdes Estates Police and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office to investigate further.
Despite the unsettling nature of the find, "At this time we’re not ruling anything out we’re considering all possibilities but we don’t have any reason to believe the two are connected," Captain Aaron Belda of the Rancho Palos Verdes Estates Police Department explained, addressing whether the leg could be related to the disappearance of two fishermen earlier in the week, according to a statement obtained by NBC Los Angeles.
FOX LA noted that the officers responded to the grim find near the 800 block of Paseo Del Mar around 8:20 am. A cadaver dog was deployed to scour the area, but the search yielded no additional remains. Officials from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed the leg was human, however, the identity of the remains has not yet been determined. A second, more thorough search was scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Concerning the case, Patch reported that "police said there is no direct indication that the remains are connected to the two men who were reported missing after a boat crash off the coast on Dec. 24, but the possibility isn't being ruled out." Citizens with information related to the case are encouraged to contact the Palos Verdes Estates Police Department at (310) 378-4211.
