ENTERTAINMENT'Definitely Guilty': Kelly Ripa Reacts to Viral Photo of Baby Bear in Back of Cop Car After Being Rescued
Kelly Ripa insisted a baby bear had been caught red handed for being too cute during 'Live.'
April 7 2026, Published 8:17 p.m. ET
Kelly Ripa had viewers swooning over a “guilty” — and undeniably adorable — suspect during the Tuesday, April 7, episode of Live With Kelly and Mark.
The host, 54, kicked off the feel-good moment by sharing a viral video of a rescued baby bear found in her home state of New Jersey.
“I don’t know if you’ve seen this video yet, but because I’m from New Jersey, I feel I need to share the adorable state trooper that rescued the baby bear,” Ripa told co-host Mark Consuelos, who admitted he hadn’t seen the clip.
Kelly Ripa reacted to a viral photo of a bear cub being rescued in New Jersey.
Ripa went on to explain that the incident initially sounded like a prank.
“It was on April 1, so at first the state trooper thought it was an April Fool’s Day prank,” she said. “But no — there was a bear cub sitting in a roadside ditch along I-78 in Union Township.”
According to Ripa, the trooper carefully scooped up the cub and placed it in the back of his patrol car — which is where the now-viral photo was taken.
'The Baby Bear Definitely Is Guilty'
Kelly Ripa joked the baby bear looked 'hella guilty.'
“There’s the baby bear,” she said, as the image appeared on screen. “Baby bear looks healthy. Oh my gosh — hella guilty. I don’t know what happened, but the baby bear definitely, definitely is guilty of whatever crime he committed. Being adorable.”
While the moment had the audience laughing, Ripa revealed the situation had a heartbreaking backstory, noting the cub’s mother had been struck and killed by a car.
Consuelos, 54, reacted in real time: “I was wondering where the mom was.”
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Kelly Ripa couldn't get enough of the adorable animal.
Fortunately, the story has a happy ending.
Ripa shared that wildlife officials were able to place the cub with another mother bear in the area who had already been caring for two cubs.
“There’s a mother bear in the area that had two bear cubs, and the mother bear adopted this bear cub,” she explained.
“They do that?” Consuelos asked, surprised.
“Yeah, they do that,” Ripa confirmed.
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos React to 'Feel-Good Story' on 'Live'
Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa enjoyed the 'feel-good story.'
Keeping things light, Consuelos jokingly asked if the cub had a name — prompting Ripa to improvise.
“Let’s call him Union — since he was found in Union Township,” she quipped.
Consuelos agreed it was “a great story,” while Ripa summed it up simply: “A great story, right? Feel-good story. Love it.”
The heartwarming segment quickly became a standout moment from the episode, blending humor, heartbreak and a wholesome ending — with one very “guilty” bear at the center of it all.
