Alaska News

Party-crashing bear trashes Juneau toddler's birthday cupcakes

A black bear crashed a toddler's birthday party in Juneau on Saturday after it climbed onto the roof of a house, then burst through a skylight and landed in the living room. Fortunately, the guests hadn't yet arrived, the Juneau Empire reports.

Alicia Bishop and Glenn Merrill, homeowners in the neighborhood of Starr Hill, expected guests at any moment when Merrill "heard this crackling" coming from the skylight, he told the newspaper. Merrill and his 1-year-old son, Jackson, both saw the black bear fall unexpectedly into the home.

Those in the house fled to adjoining rooms as the bear quickly recuperated, spotted Jackson's birthday cupcakes and started licking the frosting off them. The bear was inside the house for several minutes but did not wander back into the woods until Merrill deployed bear spray, according to the Empire, which also reports the bear may have been the same one that entered a nearby home later that day. It was shot by Juneau police.

Alaska Dispatch / Anchorage Daily News

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