Alligator dragged 2 year old into 7 seas lagoon

[longboard55]

The problem is everyone was gotten so sign happy, no one follows them. They really need a fence

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calif...edia/File:Disneyland_Prop_65_Warning_crop.jpg

 

[King Schultz]

A few things from the press conference:

-It's now a 'recovery' mission rather than a 'search'. Not surprising but still sad.

-All guest boat traffic has been halted at the 9 resorts/marinas connected to Bay Lake. This is to prevent any interference in the recovery effort and to prevent any non-official from "seeing something they shouldn't see. . . "

-This was the first incident of this type in the 45 years Disney has had hotels in the area.

-Disney has permanent team in place to deal with 'nuisance gators'.

-Disney fully cooperating with authorities; family devastated and being given all support possible.

-While people being bit by alligators happens more frequently, people being killed by them is rare; on average, less than 2 per year in Florida. Since 1945, the most people killed by gator in a year is 3, which happened twice.


Just a freak, tragic incident. My heart goes out to the family.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

I'm devastated by this tragic accident. My heart breaks for this little boy and his parents.

 

[Sanchez]

It is a heartbreaking tragedy.

People visiting do have an expectation that they are safe from non human predators. Even Disney cannot totally control nature but they do have a responsibility to their guests to clearly warn them of the dangers or block off potentially dangerous areas. Their signage was not sufficient to warn of the dangers.

This is false in so many ways and underscores the impossible expectations that some people have.

Visitors have no legal expectation to be safe from non-human predators that are not owned or kept by Disney. There is a significant legal distinction between keeping/maintaining wild animals and simply owning/maintaining property containing wild animals. In other words, an alligator escaping from its cage at Animal Kingdom carries a different level of liability for the owner than alligators in the wild. Further, there is no legal responsibility to "clearly warn" guests of these dangers nor does Disney have any obligation to block off potentially dangerous areas. Finally, there is no duty in this situation to provide specific signage (and really, if you think that "No Swimming" is meant solely to restrict full immersion in water or doing the backstroke then no sign is going to help you - I really can't believe people are making this argument.)

Take a look at the Florida Court of Appeals case of Palumbo v. Game & Fresh Water Fish Commission. http://www.leagle.com/decision/1986839487So2d352_1752/PALUMBO v. GAME & FRESH WATER FISH COM'N

Some quotes from the case:

"The law of Florida does not require the owner or possessor of land to anticipate the presence of or to guard an invitee or trespasser against harm from wild animals unless one of two conditions exists: the animal has been reduced to possession, or the animal is not indigenous to the locality but has been introduced onto the premises."

"Here, appellees clearly did not create the dangerous condition, i.e., the presence of the alligator, and we agree with the trial court that liability against appellees may not be predicated upon their decision, clearly discretionary and judgmental, of whether to fence, block or otherwise prevent alligators from moving from Paynes Prairie State Park to adjoining Lake Wauberg, if indeed it would have been possible to do so."

"We also agree with the trial court's finding that appellant's total disregard of the clear warning signs present at the facility was the sole proximate cause of his injury. A sign posted at the boat launch area where appellant entered the water read "No Swimming Allowed.""

 

[pocomom]

Just watching the news. Jeff Corwin said that the gator had probably been fed by humans and was habituated to humans. It is unlikely that a gator would attack humans otherwise.
Sign supposedly just says "beach closed no swimming."
Another guy got on and started blaming Disney for not removing the gators better.

I don't actually feel like they are to blame other than possibly needing better, clearer signage.
Are we going to hold all places in Florida responsible for actions of gators in their property? My folks had a big gator removed from their lake - the very next day a smaller gator was laying exactly where the big guy was the day before..
The've even ended up opening the door and going in the pool.
Just a freak thing.

 

[sukhakuli]

One assumes that Disney keeps as close an eye on the gators as possible. They create a false sense of security. Think about it, they have a movie, on the beach, after dark. People assume that the beach is safe. It's unbelievable to me that people are blaming and shaming the parents. Unreal. I cannot imagine what these people are going through. They were watching their child, they were on what is supposed to be a magical family vacation, and their child gets killed by an alligator right in front of their eyes. They will never get that child's screams out of their heads. I cannot imagine what they are going through. I guess it makes people feel better to say that they would never allow their child to be in that situation; I guess it makes you feel safer. But tragedy can strike anyone, at any time.

I am just horrified. Those poor parents.

 

[JimMIA]

Gators are really smart too.

Alligators are dumb as a bag of rocks. They have a brain the size of a walnut.

That said, anybody at Everglades NP can tell you they are much smarter than many visitors.

In Florida, alligators are hunted in a very limited manner: very short time period, limited permits by lottery, strict enforcement, etc. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (aka - "Fla Fish and Squish") aggressively enforces applicable laws.

 

[JaxDad]

Wow, @TAX GUY , that really puts it into perspective. Having seen videos of alligators striking, and knowing how well they hide and stalk, and judging the distance of the adult with the camera from the child, and finally knowing this was but 30 minutes before the attack, ... just wow.

 

[JaxDad]

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (aka - "Fla Fish and Squish")

...or Grouper Troopers.

 

[King Schultz]

In my opinion, the parents are no more to blame for this tragedy than if the child had been killed by a freak lightning strike out of a cloudless sky.

 

[Bebella]

I am just beyond heartbroken. Imagining what these parents are going through...it's just beyond tragic. The lack of empathy that some people are showing is just sad too. I understand the need to always be vigilant, but when you're visiting an upscale resort, which is hosting a movie for small children on the beach, the last thing on your mind is an alligator attacking your young child. This was a truly terrible accident, and as a mother, I grieve along with those poor parents.

 

[Malibustyle23]

Two questions, well I guess one rhetorical curiousness and one question.

Why does disney wait until they are of a large size to remove the gators? Is a 3.5' gator harmless while a 4.5' gator deadly?

What does disney do with the gators once they are removed? Where do they go?

 

[diznygirl]

Just watching the news. Jeff Corwin said that the gator had probably been fed by humans and was habituated to humans. It is unlikely that a gator would attack humans otherwise.
Sign supposedly just says "beach closed no swimming."
Another guy got on and started blaming Disney for not removing the gators better.

I don't actually feel like they are to blame other than possibly needing better, clearer signage.
Are we going to hold all places in Florida responsible for actions of gators in their property? My folks has a big gator removed from their lake - the very next day a smaller gator was laying exactly where the big guy was the day before..
The've even ended up opening the door and going in the pool.
Just a freak thing.

Signage doesn't help. The sign in our lake says Don't Feed the Alligators and yet people will stand there throwing bread. This means that when the gator sees people he swims towards them expecting food. Most gators will stay away from humans.

My heart breaks for this family. Obviously this can happen and people need to be more aware. I think this gator thought he'd get some bread or french fries. It was dark so the child and the parents probably didn't see the gator. Just a terrible accident.

 

[Ziggie]

I've only skimmed the previous replies in this thread, but as a Floridian I'm completely aware regarding the dangers of alligators. Sadly, so very sadly, this is not something new to those of us who live here near water. I remember all too clearly an incident that happened 23 years ago http://articles.latimes.com/1993-06-23/news/mn-6300_1_recent-years .

In my humble opinion... and it distresses me to say this... I feel Disney did not do enough to protect this family and their child. They openly encourage all types of water activity including canoes, kayaks, fishing, boat rentals, parasailing, small watercraft rental, wake boarding and water skiing to name just a few. Yet, these recreational activities take place on the same alligator-prone waters. As a parent, a "no swimming" sign is not the same as "don't go near the water at all... do not enter the water.. not even a little bit". To me, I agree with this definition of swimming:

A hotel only a few miles from Disney has this type of sign shown below. Perhaps something similar could have saved this young child's life.

 

[asta]

Two questions, well I guess one rhetorical curiousness and one question.

Why does disney wait until they are of a large size to remove the gators? Is a 3.5' gator harmless while a 4.5' gator deadly?

What does disney do with the gators once they are removed? Where do they go?

I think the Florida Wildlife official said that they are euthanized when removed. Relocating them would be moving the problem to another area.

 

[TAX GUY]

Wow, @TAX GUY , that really puts it into perspective. Having seen videos of alligators striking, and knowing how well they hide and stalk, and judging the distance of the adult with the camera from the child, and finally knowing this was but 30 minutes before the attack, ... just wow.

My thoughts exactly. The pictures from my old neighbor look harmless. A curious little boy dipping his feet into the water....

 

[L&Lfan]

I've only skimmed the previous replies in this thread, but as a Floridian I'm completely aware regarding the dangers of alligators. Sadly, so very sadly, this is not something new to those of us who live here near water. I remember all too clearly an incident that happened 23 years ago http://articles.latimes.com/1993-06-23/news/mn-6300_1_recent-years .

In my humble opinion... and it distresses me to say this... I feel Disney did not do enough to protect this family and their child. They openly encourage all types of water activity including canoes, kayaks, fishing, boat rentals, parasailing, small watercraft rental, wake boarding and water skiing to name just a few. Yet, these recreational activities take place on the same alligator-prone waters. As a parent, a "no swimming" sign is not the same as "don't go near the water at all... do not enter the water.. not even a little bit". To me, I agree with this definition of swimming:

A hotel only a few miles from Disney has this type of sign shown below. Perhaps something similar could have saved this young child's life.

BEST POST EVER!

 

[HarleenQ]

Two questions, well I guess one rhetorical curiousness and one question.

Why does disney wait until they are of a large size to remove the gators? Is a 3.5' gator harmless while a 4.5' gator deadly?

What does disney do with the gators once they are removed? Where do they go?

I think there just needs to be a size decision and that's what it is.

The gators are relocated I believe.

 

[JimMIA]

Just watching the news. Jeff Corwin said that the gator had probably been fed by humans and was habituated to humans. It is unlikely that a gator would attack humans otherwise.

I know he's an Animal Planet TV star, but I'm not sure what Corwin's experience is with alligators specifically.

While feeding any wildlife certainly acclimates them to humans to some degree, it's a huge mistake to say they would not attack otherwise. They don't usually attack humans -- especially adults. But they do attack sometimes, especially if they fear for the safety of their young (who stay with Mom for 3 years). And some alligators, for who knows what reason, are simply more aggressive than others. Like us, they have different personalities.

But a toddler is very different prey from an adult human -- so all bets are off with small children. I've often told parents with small kids to carry them in their arms, rather than in a stroller, whenever they were near alligators because from an alligator's perspective a standing adult human is huge.

I don't know if it's still there but Fla Fish and Wildlife used to have a listing of all Florida alligator fatalities on their website. A huge percentage of the fatalities were people walking their dogs. Gator attacks dog, owner tries to rescue, owner also gets killed.

 

[ZachnElli]

I had trouble sleeping thinking about this poor family, but now it's official they are local to me. I don't know their identities yet, so I don't know if I know them, know them. But, yeah, really close to home. I don't know how people can be so judgmental when they promote so many family activities on the beach.
This is a picture of movies under the stars at the GF (not my picture).