Post by Willow on Jun 16, 2016 9:22:14 GMT 9.5
No warnings about the 'gators? Really??
The body of a two-year-old Nebraska boy who was snatched off a Walt Disney World beach by an alligator and dragged underwater has been recovered intact.
Divers found the body of Lane Graves about 16 hours after authorities first got the call that a reptile had taken the boy at Seven Seas Lagoon, ending a ghastly search at one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.
Sheriff Jerry Demings said it appeared the gator drowned the child and left the body near the spot where he was last seen. An autopsy was planned.
"Of course the family was distraught, but also I believe somewhat relieved that his body was found intact," Demings told a news conference on Wednesday.
The boy's parents were identified as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska. A family friend released a statement on behalf of the couple thanking well-wishers for their "thoughts and hope-filled prayers".
Disney World closed beaches around Seven Seas Lagoon during the search and it was not immediately clear when they would reopen.
The child had waded no more than half a metre into the water of the lagoon around nightfall on Tuesday when he was taken from a small beach, authorities said.
The boy's father desperately tried to fight off the gator, suffering lacerations on a hand, but he could not save his son. Neither could a nearby lifeguard, officials said.
No other alligator attacks have been reported on the man-made lake, according to Demings.
While "no swimming" signs are posted at the beach where the boy was attacked, no signs warn about alligators. The company representative said it would "thoroughly review the situation for the future".
Demings said his agency and the state wildlife agency would look into the issue of warning signs. The sheriff said investigators would also review whether the boy's parents should be charged, but it's not likely.
"There nothing in this case to indicate that there was anything extraordinary" in terms of neglect by the parents, Demings said.
A Disney spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The sheriff said the company has a wildlife management system and has "worked diligently to ensure their guests are not unduly exposed to wildlife here in this area".
Nick Wiley with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said witnesses estimated that the alligator was 1.2 to 2 metres long.
More than 50 law enforcement personnel searched the well-tended lagoon along with an alligator tracker and marine units equipped with sonar to search the lake's sandy, mostly flat bottom.
Jacquee Wahler, vice president of the Walt Disney World Resort, said Disney was assisting the family.
"Everyone at the Walt Disney World Resort is devastated by this tragic accident," she said, according to a statement quoted by multiple news outlets.
The body of a two-year-old Nebraska boy who was snatched off a Walt Disney World beach by an alligator and dragged underwater has been recovered intact.
Divers found the body of Lane Graves about 16 hours after authorities first got the call that a reptile had taken the boy at Seven Seas Lagoon, ending a ghastly search at one of the world's most popular tourist destinations.
Sheriff Jerry Demings said it appeared the gator drowned the child and left the body near the spot where he was last seen. An autopsy was planned.
"Of course the family was distraught, but also I believe somewhat relieved that his body was found intact," Demings told a news conference on Wednesday.
The boy's parents were identified as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska. A family friend released a statement on behalf of the couple thanking well-wishers for their "thoughts and hope-filled prayers".
Disney World closed beaches around Seven Seas Lagoon during the search and it was not immediately clear when they would reopen.
The child had waded no more than half a metre into the water of the lagoon around nightfall on Tuesday when he was taken from a small beach, authorities said.
The boy's father desperately tried to fight off the gator, suffering lacerations on a hand, but he could not save his son. Neither could a nearby lifeguard, officials said.
No other alligator attacks have been reported on the man-made lake, according to Demings.
While "no swimming" signs are posted at the beach where the boy was attacked, no signs warn about alligators. The company representative said it would "thoroughly review the situation for the future".
Demings said his agency and the state wildlife agency would look into the issue of warning signs. The sheriff said investigators would also review whether the boy's parents should be charged, but it's not likely.
"There nothing in this case to indicate that there was anything extraordinary" in terms of neglect by the parents, Demings said.
A Disney spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The sheriff said the company has a wildlife management system and has "worked diligently to ensure their guests are not unduly exposed to wildlife here in this area".
Nick Wiley with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said witnesses estimated that the alligator was 1.2 to 2 metres long.
More than 50 law enforcement personnel searched the well-tended lagoon along with an alligator tracker and marine units equipped with sonar to search the lake's sandy, mostly flat bottom.
Jacquee Wahler, vice president of the Walt Disney World Resort, said Disney was assisting the family.
"Everyone at the Walt Disney World Resort is devastated by this tragic accident," she said, according to a statement quoted by multiple news outlets.