• U.S.

Severed Feet Keep Washing Up on Pacific Northwest Shores

1 minute read

At least sixteen severed human feet inside shoes have washed up on the shores of the Pacific Northwest since 2007, creating a puzzle for experts who don’t know where they’re coming from.

The detached human feet, most of them right feet and all attached to running shoes or hiking boots, have been found in British Columbia, Canada and Washington state. One foot was found earlier this week, the Washington Post reported on Thursday.

Some have speculated the feet come from people who were caught in natural disasters or who fell victim to drug dealers, serial killers or human traffickers. Scientists have countered that hands and feet are often the first to fall off when a body is caught in the water for long periods of time.

Police are now working to link the feet with people who have gone missing, using the make and model of the shoes.

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Write to Katie Reilly at Katie.Reilly@time.com