Toddler Attacked by Alligator at Disney’s Grand Floridian

Toddler Attacked by Alligator at Disney's Grand Floridian

[UPDATE: June 15, 2016, 3:35 p.m.]

The body of the 2-year-old attacked by an alligator at Walt Disney World's Seven See Lagoon has been recovered. The body was found intact within the immediate area in which he was last seen. Sonar equipment was used to detect the child in the water.

The child was identified as Lane Graves. He was visiting Disney World with his family on vacation from Nebraska.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will continue to look for alligators in the area until they feel certain they have captured the correct alligator in the attack.

Original story posted below.

Families travel from all over the world to visit the magic and splendor of Florida’s Disney World. They expect their visit to be safe as their family experiences the trip of a lifetime. An alligator attack is the last thing on anyone’s mind.

At approximately 9 p.m. on June 14, a family and their children played at the lagoon near Disney’s Grand Floridian. The youngest child, only 2-years-old, was wading about a foot into the water when an alligator attacked the boy.

Immediately, his father tried to rescue his son from the gator, but his attempts failed. A lifeguard on duty ran to help as well, but was too far away from the scene of the attack and was rendered useless as the gator swam further into the water with the boy.

The search continues as the sun rises in Orlando on Wednesday, June 15. Overnight, the rescue teams found four alligators but no sign of the child. Deputies are using sonar to search the Seven Seas Lagoon man-made lake, with help from a helicopter and a 10-person dive team, Orange County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, Jeff Williamson said. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers will also be in boats searching.

Investigators aren’t giving up hope in their search, but the chances of a successful rescue decrease the longer the search continues. Walt Disney World has closed all the beaches in its resort area to help aid in the search for the boy.

There are no signs warning that alligators could be present in the lagoon, as gator attacks such as these are very rare. There were, however, no swimming signs posted around the lagoon at the time of the attack.

This incident comes as Orlando attempts to heal from events over the past weekend including the mass shooting that killed 49 people and left more than 50 more injured.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services
  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

  • Pragmatism, Productivity, and the Push for Accountability in 2025-2026

    Every year, the security industry debates whether artificial intelligence is a disruption, an enabler, or a distraction. By 2025, that conversation matured, where AI became a working dimension in physical identity and access management (PIAM) programs. Observations from 2025 highlight this turning point in AI’s role in access control and define how security leaders are being distinguished based on how they apply it. Read Now

New Products

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.