Police: Severed foot was bear's paw, not child's

Alabama officials had spent two days looking for victim after dog's find

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updated 7:02 p.m. ET Sept. 25, 2008

RUSSELLVILLE, Ala. - Alabama authorities said a severed foot brought home by a family dog belongs to a bear — and not a child as they first thought.

Police in Russellville spent two days searching surrounding wooded areas for a small child after a family dog brought the foot to its home late Saturday.

The son of a homeowner spotted the family dog carrying something late Saturday and called his father, who then alerted police.

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The structure of the bear's foot was close enough to a human's to fool an orthopedic surgeon who examined it, Police Chief Chris Hargett said. But forensic tests later found its origin.