Here's a follow-up from Fox News (who seem a little bitter that CNN got the scoop on them):
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,396182,00.html
According to that, the women who supposedly found this thing brought it to a friend's house where it decomposed. WTF? If I found a creepy dead creature on the beach, I can't imagine picking it up and bringing it home. I think I'd call the police and try to get in touch with some sort of animal control department and let them figure it out.
If they're being honest about this, I hope they contract some horrible disease from handling a decomposing animal of unknown origins. I don't think we need people that stupid taking up space on the planet.