Prosthetic leg found in Gulf of Mexico, reunited with owner
![Beachgoer Farrah Beth Bata found this prosthetic leg in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday and she is searching for the owner. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]](/gcdn/authoring/2019/05/21/NPPP/ghows-LK-638a4b8d-9a4d-4ddc-9b95-b63ab181cf20-a58f881c.jpeg?width=300&height=401&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
PANAMA CITY BEACH — Beachgoer Farrah Beth Bata made an interesting find in the Gulf of Mexico in Panama City Beach on Monday morning.
No, it wasn’t a Man o’ War, an alligator or even a bear.
It was a prosthetic leg.
“Super random question,” Bata posted in the Facebook Group I Love Panama City Beach, which has almost 100,000 members. “Anyone missing a leg? Found in the water in front of Whispering Seas.”
Bata said she was initially scared by the shape, which she initially thought was a ray, which have been frequenting the water lately, or even a shark. But she got closer and realized it was a prosthetic leg, clearly just lost by someone as it wasn't damaged and didn't have any barnacles or other sea life hanging on. She made the post on Facebook, which quickly garnered hundreds of comments and shares as people tried to puzzle out exactly what happened and tag anyone who might know the owner. She also emailed the serial number to the leg's manufacturer to try and find them that way and then turned the leg in to the Panama City Beach Police for safekeeping.
This Cinderella twist, though, would come with a happy ending, as Monday evening, Bata posted she had found the owner.
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"The leg's owner has been found!" she wrote. "She’s a 22-year old that was in the ocean when she got knocked down and her prosthetic leg came off!!! Good work by everyone that shared the post!!"
Bata said she was messaged by a woman who said her daughter lost the leg while swimming in Panama City Beach. She was knocked over by a wave and the leg was pulled off and swept away before she could react. The family lives in Arkansas, and the woman said her boss had seen the Facebook post about the leg being found. They contacted Panama City Beach Police and are working to be reunited with the prosthetic.
This story originally published to newsherald.com, and was shared to other Florida newspapers in the GateHouse Media network.
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