Mystery 'do-gooder' causes panic by leaving sinister dolls resembling REAL young girls outside homes in gated California community

Police were called in after 11 dolls were left on doorsteps in San Clemente

The dolls resemble the little girls who live in the homes

California police are investigating after multiple families reported porcelain dolls that resemble their little girls were left outside their homes.



As many as 11 California families from a gated residential community in San Clemente, Orange County, have come forward to report finding the creepy dolls on their doorsteps.

The mysterious person behind the creepy gifts has since been found by police, who say she had never intended to scare anyone.



Disturbing: This doll was left outside of a home in California where a little girl lives with her family - 10 others have also been found

Mystery: At least 11 porcelain dolls were left outside homes in this gated California community

The dolls began appearing on doorsteps on July 16. All the girls who received one were aged around 10 years old, and some attend the same elementary school.



KTLA reports that the initial number of dolls was four, but the figure has been revised to 11.



'Families in each of the homes where porcelain dolls were left voiced concern that the dolls resembled their daughters,' the Sheriff’s Department stated in a news release.

Photographs of two of the dolls provided by police show one curly-headed and dressed in a pink nightie with bunny slippers, and the other in a ruffled blue dress.



So far, the distribution of the unwanted gifts is not being considered a crime, but the police department was initially concerned by the events.

After finding the person responsible, the police said the dolls had been left outside the homes as a 'gesture of goodwill'.



Bizarre: Police don't know if the dolls are meant as gifts or indicate something more concerning

The dolls are currently being stored in the police department's evidence room.

Families who received one of the dolls helped solve the mystery, after realizing that many of them attended the same church.



Police contacted a woman who was part of their church, and who the families said may have been behind the gesture.

According to the OC Register, the woman admitted she had left the dolls outside the houses, and told police she had just been trying to get rid of her collection.



She also said she had tried to match up dolls with the girls living at the homes, but had not meant to scare anyone.



Investigation: Police were called by concerned families after dolls resembling their children were left outside houses

Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Jeff Hallock said the police became involved because the case appeared to involve children.



'Obviously, there’s an indication by some the parents that the dolls resemble their daughters. We’re talking about children here. Anything that has the potential to involve children causes us some concern,' he told KTLA.

