Florida police are searching for a 2-year-old boy after an alligator attacked and dragged him from the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in Orlando, Florida. What started as a fun, family movie night on the beach of the popular hotel has become a nightmare for the family of five from Nebraska. The boys father sustained minor injuries while trying to rescue his son before the alligator dragged him off.
“Everyone here at the Walt Disney Resort is devastated by this tragic accident,” Disney has said in a statement.
Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings has said that the boy was “wading just in the water along the lake’s edge at the time that the alligator attacked,” He further added “The father actually went into the water to wrestle his son from the grips of the alligator.”
It appears that although there was a baby pen within 30 feet of where the child was attacked the child was not secured inside of it. The child was instead wading in the water where “No Swimming” signs are posted, according to witnesses. However, some witness reports contradict that statement. If they are or are not posted will matter greatly at some point in this whether the boy is found dead or alive.
The Seven Seas Lagoon reaches a depth of about 14 feet. Just last week an alligator was found in South Florida with a human body in it’s jaws.The last known person killed in a Florida alligator attack was in October 2015.
“As a father, as a grandfather we’re going to hope for the best in these circumstances, but based upon my 35 years of law enforcement experience we know that we have challenges ahead of us at this time,” Sheriff Demings admitted .
The child was snatched just after 9:30 p.m. At 4 a.m. The child nor the alligator have been found. At least 50 officials including Marines, divers, sonar and helicopters are being used to attempt to locate the child or his remains. The alligator is estimated to be between 4 and 7 feet long.
Disney World sure didn’t need any more negative attention,it;s been reported in the news over the last two days that Disney World may have also been targeted by Omar Mateen. In fact, it’s been a rough weekend for Florida In less than 7 days police and government officials have had to deal with singer Christine Grimmie being killed while signing autographs in a club, a mass killing and now an alligator attack.
