Child-Sized Black Doll Seen Hanging From South Jersey Tree: Police

ELK TOWNSHIP, NJ - Reports of a life-sized doll depiction of a Black child hanging from a tree outside a South Jersey home have sparked two separate investigations from local authorities.

The doll, which was first reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer, was seen hanging by a noose on Buck Road on Sunday night. CBS News said the three-to-four-foot doll has been shared widely on sites like Facebook and Nextdoor.com, drawing harsh criticism from neighbors.

Elk Township police and the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office have since launched separate investigations into the reports, although scant details have been released thus far.

"We're continuing to investigate it and are determining how it should be looked at and classified," Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives Thomas Gilbert told Patch. "We're not going to comment midstream ... especially because of the nature of what's involved, [but] we don't believe the community at large is in any danger."

The official said that it appears the doll has since been removed by the residents of the one-story home due to the harsh reaction from the community.

“We are currently investigating an incident that occurred in our township,” Elk Township police wrote in its own statement on Monday. “We empathize with our community and we ask for cooperation and patience at this time while we thoroughly investigate the facts of the matter.”