A 39-year-old man who was reported missing by his family was discovered after suffering from a very strange death.
In Barcelona, a father and son were out on a walk in Santa Coloma de Gramenet. They were checking out a stegosaurus statue placed there as a promotional stunt for a movie.
But while checking out the statue, the two noticed a foul smell coming from the statue. After inspecting the stegosaurus more closely, the father noticed a break in the papier-mâché dinosaur's back leg, and through that break he could see a body stuck inside.
The father and son immediately called the police, who later identified the body as the 39-year-old missing man.
If there is any silver lining, it is the Spanish police do not suspect foul play. Rather, they discovered a cell phone below the man. Police suspect he wedged himself inside the dinosaur in an effort to get his phone back.
After getting stuck upside-down, the man likely died from asphyxiation. Authorities are waiting on an official cause of death.
What we will probably never know is how the man managed to get inside.
There were no other access points to get inside the dinosaur, except the break in the leg and the mouth opening. Both appeared far too small.
It's also unclear exactly how long he was in there and why he was unable to get help. The police estimate the man was trapped inside for 1 to 2 days, based on the condition of his body and the time his family reported him missing.
Only being a papier-mâché dinosaur, it seems someone would have been able to hear the man yelling for help if they came close enough to the dinosaur.
People have been creeped out and confused by this strange death.
There are haunting questions about this incident that may never be answered.
