 |
Elkhorn, Neb. The family was vacationing at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in Orlando when the attack occurred in a man-made lake."It was a tough message to deliver to them," the sheriff said. He added the parents asked him to thank all the members of the public who prayed for the safe discovery of their little boy.
 |
Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger expressed his condolences in a statement released on Wednesday."As a parent and a grandparent, my heart goes out to the Graves family during this time of devastating loss," Iger said. "My thoughts and prayers are with them, and I know everyone at Disney joins me in offering our deepest sympathies."The 7- to 8-foot reptile grabbed the boy late Tuesday as he was playing in about a foot of water at the Seven Seas Lagoon at the resort. His father, who quickly rushed to the boy's aid, could not fend off the alligator and received minor injuries to his hand.
Alligator Disney world.The boy's mother also rushed into the water, but when the frantic couple were unable to save their son, they alerted a nearby lifeguard who called 911.Earlier Wednesday, Demings said the horrific ordeal was "not survivable." About 50 wildlife specialists, including trained alligator trappers, shifted from a search and rescue effort to a recovery operation, Demings said."There were eyewitnesses who certainly saw the child taken under the water," he said. "We know that that happened and it is certainly not survivable at this point for him to have been submerged for that period of time."There are posted signs warning guests against swimming in the lake, Demings said.Nick Wiley, executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which spearheaded the search, said the American alligator was feeding and likely confused the small child for a dog or a raccoon. The gators do not typically feed on humans.“People – even small people – are not their typical prey,” he said.