bear
A black bear scavenges for food beside tourists near the famous General Sherman tree at the Sequoia National Park, Central California, Oct. 10, 2009. MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images

A 14-year-old Russian girl was attacked and killed by a bear as she walked to a local shop to buy chocolate.

The girl, identified as Sonya Chernigova, had stepped out of the home Monday evening. When she failed to return home, her father went out in search of her and was informed that a mutilated corpse had been found. However, since no one was able to recognize the corpse due to the “appalling wounds,” police was called to the scene. The corpse was then identified as that of Chernigova. The girl’s face was disfigured, neck was almost severed and her hair was completely ripped off.

“I did not want to believe that it was my daughter in front of my eyes. Her face was all disfigured, it was impossible to recognize her. She was dressed just like all other girls, only her jacket was recognizable. It was all clear when I dialed her mobile number and the phone rang in the pocket of her jacket,” her father said.

Officials said the bear must have been seeking waste food from garbage dumps when it attacked the girl.

“Most likely, the bear was eating something at the dump. The girl happened to be close and disturbed the predator. Experienced hunters have studied the accident scene and confirmed there were bear footprints,” Nikolay Gorbunov, the chairman of Udorsky District Society of Hunters and Fishermen, said.

Though the villagers initially thought the wounds were inflicted by a wolf, the officials confirmed it was a bear attack.

“A wolf cannot disfigure a human being in such a way. Such wounds can be inflicted only by a predator with large claws,” Gorbunov said.

The girl’s father said she was going to turn 15 later this month.

“We planned to get together on that day with the whole family. I had not decided on what present to get her. And now we have to bury her,” he said.

An investigation was ongoing to check if local officials had taken enough steps to deter wild animals from the village that has been “terrorized” by bears and wolves for several years.

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