Alligator drags child into lake at Disney resort in Orlando

11:03pm, June 14, 2016

ORLANDO — Deputies in Orlando are searching for a child who was apparently dragged into a lake by an alligator near Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.

The child, who is reportedly 2 years old, was dragged into Seven Seas Lagoon around 9:30 p.m., spokeswoman Rose Silva confirmed.

Crews are currently searching by helicopter and a dive team is en route, Silva said.

According to several tweets, the child was on the beach during a “movie night” event when the incident occurred.

As of 10:30 p.m., crews are searching the water for the missing child.

This story is developing.


http://wtkr.com/2016/06/14/alligator-drags-child-into-lake-at-disney-resort-in-orlando/

Awful, just awful

Just horrible....and in Orlando too.

Seeing on other sites that some are saying that the parents and kid were walking together near the water and some weeds and the gator just snatched the kid. I cant even imagine.....frick

Alligator attacks 2-year-old boy at Disney World, recovery effort continues

Orlando Sentinel

A 2-year-old boy who was attacked and dragged into the water by an alligator on the shores of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Tuesday night was still missing early Wednesday morning.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said rescue personnel had been actively looking for the child in the Seven Seas Lagoon for hours in a search and recovery effort but had not found him. They hoped to find him before daylight, he said. A dive team with sonar equipment was on standby -- just part of a 50-person rescue team on the scene.

"As a father, as a grandfather, we're going to hope for the best in these circumstances, but based on my 35 years of law enforcement experience, we know we have some challenges ahead of us," Demings said.

Demings said the Nebraska family of five was relaxing on the shoreline when the alligator attacked the boy. The father entered the water and tried to pry the child from the gator, but was unsuccessful. He had scratches on his hands after the ordeal.

Parents then alerted a nearby lifeguard that an alligator had attacked the boy. Officials estimated it was between four and seven feet long.

The initial report came into officials at 9:16 p.m. Tuesday, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Rose Silva said.

Deputies closed off the area with crime-scene tape. Multiple emergency vehicles filled the front drive of the Victorian-style hotel and a helicopter hovered overhead. About 50 members of the Reedy Creek Fire Rescue, Orange County and the Florida Fish and Wildlife officials joined forces to search for the child and the alligator.

There are no signs warning of gators in the area, but there are notices posted against swimming in the man-made lake.

The Grand Floridian is an upscale luxury resort owned by Disney. It is one of three hotels on the monorail line, just one stop away from the Magic Kingdom Park.

A Disney official said they were "devastated" by the event.

Hotel guest A.J. Jain and his wife traveled from Georgia to Disney for a conference.

“I’m just here to say a prayer,” he said. “I can’t imagine what those parents are going through. It’s been one tough week in Orlando.”

This is just the latest tragedy in the Orlando area within a week span.

Singer Christina Grimmie was killed after a concert at the Plaza Live Friday night. The gunman killed himself after shooting her.

Early Sunday, a gunman killed 49 people and injured more than 50 others at the Pulse nightclub. The gunman was killed by law enforcement as they raided the club.

"We are all doing our best to deal with all the situations that we have going on here, but our staff is very resilient. And tonight, they're very focused on assisting this family."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

An earlier version of this story misidentified Jain and his whereabouts Tuesday.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-child-dragged-alligator-disney-20160614-story.html/

Sad.

Critters of Stealth!
When they turn lose,it like an explosion,like a Steelspring suddenly getting free!

It is a man made lake.....

So, did someone put alligators, in there?

OMG !!! that's just so devastating.. I feel for the family of their child...

Unfortunately their baby is not goin to be found...
Who the Frick puts that thing in a man made lake????

That is soooo heart breaking:((((

they even turn up in People's Swimming Pools!
They travel!

Florida police search for child who was attacked by alligator at Disney resort

Four alligators had already been caught in the lagoon and euthanized early Wednesday morning, but no evidence had been found indicating any of those reptiles were responsible for attacking the boy, a Florida Fish and Wildlife official said.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/15/florida-police-search-for-child-who-was-attacked-by-alligator-at-disney-resort.html/
** More on link*

Search ongoing for child attacked by alligator at Disney Resort

Witnesses say the gator was anywhere from 4 to 7 feet long.

The family of five was vacationing from Nebraska.

The child and his father were wading in about a foot of water when the alligator attacked.

Officials say told the father tried to save his son from the gator but was not successful.

http://m.wcyb.com/news/search-ongoing-for-child-attacked-by-alligator-at-disney-resort/40062316/

Dangerous to wade in a Lagoon in Florida!

Yep....more of a pest than anything else if you ask me. Wildlife and Fisheries will almost hang you if you kill one out of season or w/o a permit though.

Walt Disney World announces it’s closing all beaches in its resort area out of 'an abundance of caution' hours after authorities say an alligator snatched a 2-year-old boy, who remains missing.


One employee at the resort who did not want to be identified said in an email "There is such a problem on property with guests feeding the alligators thinking it's cool." There are two at the Buena Vista Palace that people regularly feed from balconies, he said.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-child-dragged-alligator-disney-20160614-story.html/

'No question' toddler snatched by alligator is dead, police say

Officials said "there is no question" a 2-year-old boy snatched Tuesday night by an alligator at an Orlando Disney resort and dragged into a lagoon is dead.

The search for the toddler's body would continue, authorities said, however, the operation had clearly switched from rescue to recovery. Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said the incident was "not survivable" for the 2-year-old.

"The ultimate goal is try to bring some closure to the family by recovering their loved one," Demings said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

Disney announced Wednesday morning it was closing all of the beaches at its resorts out of an abundance of caution.

Even as authorities were scouring the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney World’s The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Wednesday morning, hope began to fade. By the afternoon, Demings said emergency crews were working on "recovering the body."

Five alligators had already been caught in the lagoon and euthanized Wednesday afternoon, but no evidence had been found indicating any of those reptiles were responsible for attacking the boy, a Florida Fish and Wildlife official said.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/15/no-question-toddler-snatched-by-alligator-is-dead-police-say.html?intcmp=hpbt1/

"A British family has told of their terror after being 'chased' by an alligator at a luxury Disney World hotel - just weeks before a toddler was attacked at the same resort.
Carl and Karen Davies were sitting on the beach at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort in Florida with their two young children when the huge gator appeared.
As they prepared to watch the nearby Magic Kingdom's late-night fireworks display, the couple's eight-year-old daughter heard a 'jet ski'-like sound on the water.
Moments later, they saw an enormous, dark shape 'lurch' out of the lagoon in front of them - as a Canadian family to the left of them screamed, 'Alligator!'.
Frightened for their lives, Carl, 34, and Karen, 37, sprinted across the sand in the 'pitch black' with their 10-year-old son and daughter, who was in floods of tears."




http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/terrified-brit-family-chased-alligator-8197003

SMDH ! And they knew the threat & didn't close the beach or posts signs or chastise or fine or evict the people feeding them DAILY. Or call the game commission etc..


MAJOR Law Suit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States

Amazing that all but one attack occurred in Florida.

Especially since there are so many alligators along the Gulf coast.

""ORLANDO — Authorities recovered the body of a 2-year-old boy dragged into the water by an alligator near a Disney resort, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said Wednesday.
Members of the sheriff's office dive team located the remains of the toddler around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, nearly 17 hours after the reptile snatched the boy, Demings said. The body was discovered intact, he added.""
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/06/14/reports-alligator-drags-child-into-water-fla/85905266/