An 80-year-old woman died Friday after she was “grabbed” by alligators while struggling in a pond.
The woman fell into a pond at the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club in Englewood, Florida at 8:15 pm. Police say the woman “struggled to stay afloat” before two alligators “ultimately grabbed her while in the water,” according to CNN. Her body was found floating in the water as an alligator dragged her around, Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office told NBC 2.
The woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and her identity woman has not yet been disclosed.
An 80-year old woman is dead after falling into a pond and being grabbed by alligators in Sarasota County, Florida on Friday, authorities said. https://t.co/ximLHuulSv
— CNN (@CNN) July 18, 2022
The two alligators were removed from the area, the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told CNN. (RELATED: REPORT: Police Officer Ties Up 7-Foot Alligator After It Takes Chunk Out Of Ray Schott’s Leg In Florida)
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the cause of the woman’s death.
There were 9 alligator bites on people in Florida in 2021, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Of the nine bites reported, 7 were categorized as “major,” which, according to the commission, is defined as bites “in which the victims’ injuries required medical care, beyond first aid, to treat wounds.”