Toddler Attacked by Alligator at Disney's Grand Floridian
- By Sydny Shepard
- Jun 15, 2016
[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.