Solved: Missing head of baby Jesus is back

A terracotta replacement head for a baby Jesus statue in Canada drew international ridicule on Twitter and Facebook. (Gino Donato/The Canadian Press via AP)

The caper of the missing baby Jesus head has been solved. A woman who snatched the head from the statue in a churchyard in Canada returned it after the story became international news, the CBC reports.

That happened after a local artist sculpted a new noggin in red terra cotta with lizard-like eyes and spiky hair a la Maggie Simpson—and drew global scorn for her trouble.

The head of baby Jesus, cradled in the arms of a sedate Virgin Mary, has been a frequent target of vandals at the Sainte-Anne-des-Pins Catholic church in Sudbury, Ontario.

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After the latest theft, the pastor said he would forgo ordering a replacement that could cost as much as $10,000. That's when local artist Heather Wise stepped in, crafting a "temporary replacement" that one Twitter user likened to ET and another to a "demonic hedgehog."

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After reading about the dust-up, a local woman said to be suffering from personal problems returned the head on Friday.

"I almost cried," the Rev. Gerard Lajeunesse told the Star. He said he doesn't plan to press charges and is thankful baby Jesus is intact again.

News of the happy ending drew applause at Sunday Mass. (Fans were less than thrilled with this "scary" Lucille Ball statue.)

This article originally appeared on Newser: Solved: Missing Head of Baby Jesus Is Back