Likely human skull found in Halloween section of Florida thrift store

An anthropologist made a surprising discovery in a Florida thrift shop’s Halloween section on Saturday, officials said. 

The North Fort Myers shopper spotted a skull and recognized it as a human skull, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Responding detectives also determined the skull belonged to a human.

The store owner said the skull had been in a storage unit that was purchased years ago, authorities said. 

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is working with the local medical examiner to run further tests on the skull. Officials do not believe the case is suspicious in nature. 

Under Florida law, “no person shall knowingly offer to purchase or sell … any human organ or tissue for valuable consideration.” Eyes, corneas, kidneys, livers, hearts, lungs, pancreases, bones and skin are subject to the rule. 

Officials have not said whether anyone will face charges in connection with the discovery of the skull at the thrift shop.

In September, a human skull was reported in a donation box at an Arizona Goodwill store. In that case, the responding police department said the medical examiner’s office determined the skull was likely not related to a criminal case.