On Wednesday, a rescue team found the dead body of Lane Graves near the place where he was last seen. The 2-year-old kid was playing at one of the lagoons available near the Seven Seas Lagoon when an alligator grabbed him.
His father reacted immediately, and tried to wrestle his son out of the animal’s jaws, but it was too strong. In the end, a group of people, including the boy’s parents, witnessed as the reptile disappeared into the water taking the toddler with it.
The authorities threw a huge search and rescue mission that included foot officers, wildlife experts, divers and more. After killing and removing the bodies of at least five alligators, the diving squadron stumped with the kid’s dead body.
According to Sheriff Jerry Demings, the body was still intact which most likely means the reptile took the little boy to deep water and drowned him. This particular pattern of attack is seen when the animals are defending their turf. The fact that neither of them fed on the remains supports this theory.
The fatal victim was identified as Lane Graves, aged 2, from Nebraska. His parents are Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn. They were vacationing at Disney, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. According to a statement issued by George A. Kalogridis, the Disney World Resort President, the company is doing everything it can to help the Graves in this grievous time.
The parents will not be charged with negligence
Source: Body of 2-year-old taken by alligator at a Disney hotel in Florida has been found. https://t.co/UJpfKn0sEt pic.twitter.com/91mpogda1l
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) June 15, 2016
The Sheriff, Mr. Demings, told the press that the authorities were studying the possibility of charging the parents with negligence, but that it was an unlikely scenario. According to him, there were “no swimming” signs everywhere, but he also accepted that there weren’t any warning about alligators. He added that the department of wildlife in the county is going to revise the current protocols, and it will probably update the code because of the attack.
“Worked diligently to ensure their guests are not unduly exposed to wildlife here in this area.” Said Jerry Demings.
Most of the times, tourists are guilty of this kind of tragedy, but none of the people staying in any of the hotels in the area reported to have been notified of this sort of threat. The lake in which Lane Graves was attacked is part of Grand Floridian, a famous luxury resort, and it extends 200 acres.
A lot of canals that go through the whole property feed the lake, which means the alligators could have come from anywhere, and more importantly, could be close to any water body in the entire Disney property. An autopsy is already scheduled, and the tragedy is going to be remembered forever. It will make the directors of the organization re-structure their wildlife policies.
Source: OC Register