Two-Year-Old Boy Dragged Into Lake By Alligator at Disney World Resort

Keep Reading ↓

In Orlando Florida, a two- year- old boy was snatched by an alligator at a Disney World resort. The boy and his family were at a movie night outdoors and at about 9pm, the little boy walked along a foot of water in the lagoon when the alligator grabbed hold of him.

The boy’s parents, as well as other witnesses, tried to save him. The father tried to wrestle the animals mouth open, but it was too late. The gator dragged the child underwater in the Seven Seas lagoon.

According to witnesses, the alligator was described to be anywhere from four feet to six or seven feet, but the exact size is not known at this point in time.

The lagoon apparently has “No Swimming Signs” at the lagoon but no signs warning about the alligators. This is, however, the first incident at any Disney resort, where somebody has been attacked by an alligator.

Since the attack, Disney World closed their beach resorts and troops of emergency personnel had been constantly searching the lagoon for the alligator and the boy but had not been successful. Authorities do not plan to stop the search until the boy is found or received.

A spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said that a handful of alligators had been pulled from the lagoon so far. Those alligators had to be euthanized to be examined. However, they could not find any evidence that those alligators were involved.

The incident has made headlines across all Social Media and many commenters criticize the child’s parents for not keeping a close enough eye on him, while others urge compassion for what the parents of the child may be going through.

Authorities say that the boy is believed to be dead, but the ultimate goal of the search is to bring the family some form of closure by recovering their loved one.

UPDATES: On Wednesday afternoon, following an extensive 16-hour search and rescue effort by dozens of emergency personnel using sonar equipment, divers found and recovered the body of Lane Graves.

“There’s no question in my mind that the child was drowned by the alligator,” Orange County sheriff Jerry Demings had said at a 4.30pm press conference.“It was a tough message to deliver to them. The family was distraught but somewhat relieved we were able to retrieve their son with his body intact.”
 

25 Comments

  1. Lynn

    June 16, 2016 at 7:35 pm

    Terrible, could have been prevented. They should have had signs stating beware alligators live here! And because it was nighttime the resort should have had the water areas blocked off so no one could get onto the water.I’m saddened for the family who were here for a magical vacation that turned into a nightmare. My heart and prayers are with them. I can’t even imagine what they are going through, brings tears to my eyes and I can’t stop thinking about what has happened to this family.

  2. Colleen Floyd

    June 16, 2016 at 11:17 pm

    In florida always assume any body of water can have an alligator. My heart goes out to those parents I know how loosing a child feels.

  3. Shanon Hawthorne

    June 16, 2016 at 11:30 pm

    The boy as been found.The incident happen Tuesday night, he was found early Wednesday morning underwater. They have killed up to five alligators that they have found due to this inicident.

  4. RGV

    June 17, 2016 at 12:00 am

    NOT DISNEY’S FAULT…
    PARENT’S SHOULD HAVE NEVER PUT THEIR CHILD IN THAT SCENARIO….
    WTF… REALLY. SORRY FOR THE FAMILIES LOSS, BUT IT THEIR FAULT…. THEIR THE ONLY DUMBASSES TO BLAME……

    • Becca

      June 17, 2016 at 1:01 pm

      Seriously?? The parents fault for letting their child play along a beach like area in front of them a few feet away? How many parents have taken their children to a beach and let them play in the sand right in front of them because they were “safe” and only a few feet away. NOT in the water but in the sand! How is that their fault?

    • Susan

      June 17, 2016 at 4:56 pm

      That is a nasty, horrible thing to say to parents that just lost their child! Don’t judge until you walk in someone’s shoes! It was a “freak” accident!

    • Diana

      June 17, 2016 at 6:33 pm

      RGV- If you’re gonna call anyone a dumbass make sure you’re not a dumbass yourself!

      How smart can you be when you don’t even know the difference between “they’re and their”

      It’s not their fault, if I see water at a resort I am very likely to put my feet in it, kids LOVE water, sticking your feet in there is not swimming, when you don’t come from An area where alligators r common u don’t expect them especially at a resort in Disney!

      If there were signs I bet they would not have been there.

    • Lorri

      June 17, 2016 at 11:07 pm

      I can’t imagine how anyone could blame the parents for this horrible event. Yes, there were signs saying “No Swimming,” but none saying “No Wading” or “Stay out of the Water” or how about, “Danger – Alligators Might be Present.” This child was 2 years old…definitely not a swimmer.

      I don’t understand how anyone could blame the parents. The father was right there with the child, it was 9 pm, probably not well lit,and it was Disney, for crying out loud! Not some two-bit side-of-the-road petting zoo. And, calling them names is not just extremely insensitive and immature, but totally unnecessary.

    • Lisa Makene

      June 18, 2016 at 12:13 am

      Dumasses? Your unintelligent, uneducated and ill informed comment tells the rest of us that you are not the sharpest guy around. It’s dispicable that people like you can comment on such a tragedy and blame the parents. Sometimes life can bring about unpredictable and horrific circumstances. Negative people like you just make it hard for everyone. In the meantime, my best friend is flying to support her best friend, a great mom, in her time of utter grief. Hope you feel good about saying such a thing.

  5. angie

    June 17, 2016 at 12:07 am

    So i wanna know if the media is digging into their life like they did the African American couple who son fell in the gorilla cage.

  6. Debra Soileau

    June 17, 2016 at 12:29 am

    My heart goes out to the family god bless them

  7. Jaclyn Pascale Martinelli

    June 17, 2016 at 1:35 am

    My heart goes out to this little boy and his family. Absolutely devastating.

  8. Dean D

    June 17, 2016 at 2:14 am

    An absolute horror for the parents and the child. Having something so tragic happen during a time of pure joy. Sending prayers to the parents as they mourn their young, gentle son.

  9. Craig

    June 17, 2016 at 2:15 am

    Please except our condolences god bless your child . We only hope you can manage to get over your loss.

  10. Pamela Kruse

    June 17, 2016 at 4:47 am

    R.I.P little boy

  11. Paula Papandrea

    June 17, 2016 at 8:36 am

    what a nightmare….

  12. Sue McEntee

    June 17, 2016 at 9:26 am

    I feel so bad for the family, all that this sign said was, “No Swimming “. The boy was NOT swimming. He was standing with his feet in the water. Disney is the ONLY ones at fault here. Knowing that alligators lived in that water, they,(Disney), should have had plenty of warnings about that!! Shame on Disney!! Unforgivable!

    • Emily Wilson

      June 17, 2016 at 6:00 pm

      I’m not blaming the parents by any means whatsoever, but it’s no secret there are alligators in Florida. Wadding around in a lagoon probably isn’t a good idea, ever, anywhere. Hind sight is always 20/20 but they dropped the ball on that one. That little boy should have never been in the water.
      A reminder to everyone that even on vacation, you have to keep your wits about you.
      Absolutely devastating and my heart goes out to the family ❤️

    • Abby Johnson Schnackel

      June 18, 2016 at 3:02 am

      How can you say you aren’t blaming the parents and then say they dropped the ball?

    • Sue McEntee

      June 18, 2016 at 12:20 pm

      Emily
      I agree with you to a point. Those ppl were from Nebraska or something like that, alligators don’t live in their area, but, becuz of that very reason, that Disney has visitors from all over, signs and warnings should have been in place!! Not everyone would think that alligators were living in a Disney area site, like that!! I still blame Disney!!

  13. Mais Abudaia

    June 17, 2016 at 10:55 am

    Haya Qaysiah Areej Qaysiah

  14. Annabelle Berger

    June 17, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    My heat is just broken right now. How can something like that happen? I’m devastated. #RIP little sweetheart

  15. Cindy

    June 17, 2016 at 4:25 pm

    It is absolutely on the onus of Disney Resort* Simply signage could have prevented the entire situation and deep loss. Always when it is too late do situations as such are re-evaluated and precautions put into place. The price of a sign or even barriers, railings or fencing would have been far less costly in comparison to the mere memory this family will never forget. My heart is with the family.

    To think .. it’s a “family oriented resort. SMH! Shame on such a large establishment. Tsk! Tsk!

  16. Cindy

    June 17, 2016 at 4:27 pm

    It is absolutely on the onus of Disney Resort* Simple signage could have prevented the entire situation and deep loss. Always when it is too late do situations as such get re-evaluated and precautions put into place. The price of a sign or even barriers, railings or fencing would have been far less costly in comparison to the mere memory this family will never forget. My heart is with the family.

    To think .. it’s a “family oriented resort.” SMH!
    Shame on such a large establishment. Tsk! Tsk!

  17. Cristabel

    June 18, 2016 at 2:04 pm

    I hope this serves everyone a lesson. Keep your kids out of the animals kingdom. Searching for “the” alligator responsible???? Already captured and examined several alligators???? Please!!! Its not the alligators fault! It was not the Gorillas fault! No one is to blame. Parents need to be more cautious and responsible. But then again all parents. Could have this been prevented??? I dont think so. It was unforeseen and unexpected!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *