NSW Police Investigate ‘Woman’s Body’ in Suitcase, Forensic Test Reveals It Was a S*x Doll

A body discovered inside a suitcase near Goulburn that turned out to be a life-like s*x doll may have left New South Wales police red-faced, but experts say investigators did exactly what they were supposed to do. New South Wales police were called to Oallen, a rural locality near Goulburn, on Sunday after two members of the public spotted a suitcase dumped on the side of the road containing what they believed were human remains.

What Police Initially Found

A police statement issued on Sunday said the remains were believed to belong to a woman, and the bag was sent to the forensic medicine laboratory for examination, reported The Guardian. However, forensic testing on Monday morning confirmed the "body" was actually a life-like doll, understood to be a s*x doll, dressed in clothing and fitted with hair, a nose piercing, and markings designed to resemble bruises and grazes. Dollar Tree Sued Over ‘Gooner’ Assault Trend as Women Report S*men Being Wiped on Them in Stores.

Experts Defend Police Response

Former NSW police officer and criminologist Vincent Hurley said the discovery was "amusing in hindsight" but insisted investigators had handled the situation correctly.

"Police have been blamed over the years, and rightly so, for tunnel vision," Hurley told Guardian Australia. "Can you imagine if it was a real body and they just go unzip the bag and say, 'we'll have a poke'? They did the right thing, it's embarrassing, yes, but they followed procedure."

Hurley explained that officers arriving at a reported crime scene generally avoid contaminating it, which is likely why they did not fully unzip the bag to confirm a body was inside, since doing so risks destroying fibres or blood traces that could be on the zipper. Australia Shocker: Man Films S*x With Woman Using Hidden Camera in Victoria, Fined USD 5,000 After S*x Tape Goes Viral and Turns Victim's Life 'Upside-Down'.

Paola Magni, a forensic science associate professor at Murdoch University, said the best practice when investigating potential bodies found in objects like wheelie bins or suitcases is to X-ray them rather than open them directly. She added that even after realising the "body" was a doll, forensic examiners likely had to continue inspecting it thoroughly for traces of evidence such as s*men or other DNA, in case it was linked to another suspicious case.

"It's a doll, but if it's connected to another crime, they can use that opportunity to link it to something suspect," said Magni, who specialises in decomposition. "Any potentially suspicious situation has to be treated with the best practice in forensic investigation. They did the right thing, they investigated it step-by-step."

Not An Unusual Discovery Method, Just An Unusual Outcome

Hurley noted that objects like s*x dolls can be "incredibly lifelike," and pointed out that the bodies of real murder victims are frequently found in confined spaces such as car boots, suitcases, and barrels.

"It's not unusual to be in a suitcase, it's just unusual that it turned out to be a plastic doll," he said.

Crimes involving sx dolls remain rare in Australia, though possessing a child-like sx doll is a criminal offence, and police have previously laid charges after intercepting air cargo shipments found to contain such items. The doll discovered near Goulburn on Sunday is not believed to be child-like, and police have since concluded their investigation into the matter.

Police Say They Have 'No Regrets'

At a press conference on Monday, Superintendent Linda Bradbury stood by the response, saying police had "no regrets" over how the case was handled.

"Our police have undertaken the processes that we do to maintain integrity in such serious crime to a T, and I do commend people for that," she said.

Bradbury also praised the members of the public who found the suitcase, confirming they made the right call by pulling over, peeking inside, and reporting it as soon as they suspected something was wrong.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2026 08:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).