A 'human skin teddy bear' found outside a convenience store in California has turned out to be horror art made from latex and is a "prank" amid a police investigation, according to reports.

California: A late-night bus-stop scare in Victorvile, California sent detectives digging for a possible killer after residents stumbled across a teddy bear that looked disturbingly as though it had been stitched from human skin.

A viral art piece sparked a police investigation after a disturbing teddy bear made from what appeared to be human skin caused a major scare.

A teddy bear with a covering resembling human skin was found in Victorville and sparked an investigation. Authorities are still investigating, but the bear has been confirmed as an art piece, not made of human remains.