5-year-old girl finds human severed leg in Bakersfield lake

FRESNO, Calif. -- It was a shocking moment for people spending their weekend at the Buena Vista Lake in Bakersfield when a severed human leg washed up on the shore.

The discovery was made Saturday morning, when a little girl found the remains just feet from her campsite, Kern County sheriff's officials say.

"The neighbor in the camp right next to us came over and told us what happened. His 5-year-old girl found the leg. She was pretty freaked out, and I walked over -- wanted to see what was going on -- and it was a leg from about thigh down," a witness said.

The lake was closed for several hours as homicide detectives investigated and searched for the body belonging to the leg.

Officials said there were no recent reports of any boating accidents in the area.

An investigation was ongoing.