Couple Admits Planting Goofy Skeletons in River

Sheriff's office is laughing about it, so no charges will follow
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 9, 2015 1:05 PM CDT
Couple Admits Planting Goofy Skeletons in River
In this frame from video provided by the La Paz Sheriffs' Office, fake skeletons Bernie and Bernadette are seen underwater.   (Uncredited)

A Phoenix couple has claimed responsibility for putting two fake skeletons sitting in lawn chairs in the Colorado River in far west Arizona. Today's News-Herald reports the husband and wife approached the La Paz County Sheriff's Office earlier this week a little apprehensively and brought a photo as proof they were behind the prank in Parker. Lt. Curt Bagby says there are no plans to press charges and considers the incident harmless. He didn't identify the couple, but we now know the names of both skeletons: Bernie and Bernadette.

Bagby says the couple and another diver placed the plastic skeletons on lawn chairs last year, tying them to underwater rocks. They got them from Costco in a Halloween sale, and the whole point was to make a funny landmark down below. (Hence the reason the skeletons were wearing sunglasses.) He says all three have gone back to the site several times since to spruce them up. Bagby says that unless federal agencies have any issues, the skeletons will remain in place. (More skeletons stories.)

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