Police have launched an investigation after a severed human head was found on a popular beach in Miami.
The gruesome discovery was made by a frightened worker who was raking the sand in the popular hotspot.
Miami-Dade Police Department arrived at Key Biscayne after receiving reports and quickly cordoned off the area with tape and traffic cones as they began their investigation with homicide detectives.
The police confirmed the head was human but have not determined whether it belonged to a man or woman. They are working with the Medical Examiner’s Office to identify the individual.
The department shared that it is too early to tell if the decapitation is connected to any recent cases in the area, including one of a teenager who went missing.
The stomach-curdling find has left many residents in the community feeling shaken and worried.
Bahman Amini, who has lived in a nearby condominium building for 40 years, told CBS News Miami: “We have seen all things here but nothing like what was found this morning, the head of a person. It makes us scared to go to the beach that we love."
“This is shocking, shocking. You don’t hear a lot about that. You heard about drugs washing up on shore and things like that, but a head!” another resident named Marcelo Borrelli said.
Resident Mollie McAuliffe shared that they have "questions" about where the severed head came from. "It is pretty upsetting," she added.
Even tourists visiting Florida were spooked by the discovery.
Kristy Sippel, from New York City, told the publication: "It is scary. I would like to know what happened."
Alex Portuondo, who used to live in South Florida, said that the whole ordeal is "pretty scary and crazy" as they've never "heard of anything like this happening before on this kind of beach".
"I guess I am curious if they have any information on where it came from, if anything else has been found, if it happened here on the island or washed up on the shore," Alex continued.
"I guess I assume it might have happened someplace else and washed up here but I do worry because of this," they added.
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