MELBOURNE: An Australian woman has pleaded guilty to offensive conduct involving human remains after she planned to sell on the black market human toes that she had recovered from dog vomit.
The woman was a ranger at an animal shelter in the south-eastern state of Victoria when two dogs regurgitated the toes and other human remains in February 2024, the Australian Associated Press (AAP) reported on Monday (March 17).
The dogs had been surrendered to the shelter after the death of their owner, who died of natural causes before his pets ate parts of his body, the agency said.
Prosecutor Melissa Sambrooks said Joanna Kinman (pic) was not present when the dogs regurgitated the remains, but searched a bin looking for the digits.
"She located two human toes and took them home and placed them in a jar containing formaldehyde," Sambrooks said, according to the AAP.
She then discussed a plan to sell the toes online with her daughter. The woman reportedly believed she could get as much as $400 Australian (US$253) for the remains.
Police arrived at her home after a tip-off from an unknown source.
Kinman admitted possessing the remains and intending to sell them online, showing police the jar, which was beside other oddities including an alligator claw, a bird skull, guinea pig trotter and her children's teeth, AAP reported.
Police found Kinman was a member of the "Bone Buddies Australia" Facebook group, commonly used to buy, swap and sell specimens online.
Kinman was an avid contributor to the site, Sambrooks said, and had previously sold "wet specimens" of a stillborn kitten and puppy.
The dead man's relatives are unaware of the crime, with his son choosing to shield them from the investigation, AAP reported.
Kinman, who is yet to be sentenced, faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison. - dpa
