Child pulled into water by alligator near Grand Floridian

[Maistre Gracey]

We waded in the Boardwalk/beach club lake. Knee deep.

No swimming means no immersion. Stay out of water means no wading.

I don't understand. Aren't your legs immersed when wading?

MG

 

[Hundredacre]

We seem to have plenty of hunters, thanks. There are much bigger threats to public safety in this state than the alligator population. As with most wildlife, human development still poses a greater risk to them. Most incidents of nuisance alligators are caused by fools who decide to feed gators who happen to live near populated areas. Then the gators, of course, start to expect food, pets disappear, and the nuisance gators are removed/disposed.

I frankly have never noticed whether there were gator warning signs at WDW -- because I don't have little ones to worry about and I live here so I know what lives in the water. Given the rarity of these events and the great efforts Disney seems to take to control the population and remove larger/nuisance animals I can understand why they decided not to post gator warning signs.

The large wildlife preserve near my home has explicit signs stating "AT DUSK, IF IT MOVES IT'S FOOD" with silhouettes of a large gator, a raccoon, a bunny, and a child. Graphic, but seems to get the point across.

My heart breaks for this family.

This is evidence that the alligator population is out of control. Of course Disney could do something about the alligators. Part of the problem is disney is pandering to the "environmentalist" crowd who will give Disney bad press and label them alligator killers. Disney needs to man up against these groups and put human safety first. I am glad to see that the orlando police are killing the ones they find in their search. At leastthey haven't been cowered yet.

 

[CowboyCO]

You're joking right? Because I would hate to thi k you are that brainwashed by the "pc police".

I get so sick of hearing that hear in Colorado. "The bears were here first", as if humans are an off-planet species that have invaded the planet. We are all God's creatures and as the pre-eminent species, we develop and push other species out of the areas that we work in. Sometimes we co-exist. But sometimes we don't. Beavers do the same thing when they build a dam. It wipes out a lot of habitat when they dam a stream, and they've got a brain the size of a nectarine. Wolf packs change the environment around them. Humans build homes, buildings, streets and yes, theme parks.

 

[boltjames]

As is with most situations that occur at a place like disney....when it comes to negligence and the details of the actual event....the truth ALWAYS lies somewhere in the middle....trying to reach conclusions based on press conferences and media reports is an exercise in judgement passintg

Invite out of state guests to a Floridian waterfront at night where alligators are known to thrive and don't inform them of it.

Yeah, the truth lies in the middle.

 

[barney4liz]

This is evidence that the alligator population is out of control. Of course Disney could do something about the alligators. Part of the problem is disney is pandering to the "environmentalist" crowd who will give Disney bad press and label them alligator killers. Disney needs to man up against these groups and put human safety first. I am glad to see that the orlando police are killing the ones they find in their search. At least they haven't been cowered yet.

(1) This is not "evidence" of anything except that one unfortunate child was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
(2) They are killing the ones they find NOT out of retribution, NOT to prove they have not been "cowered," NOT to prove that man can conquer nature, but to try to RECOVER THIS POOR CHILD'S REMAINS.
(3) If we carry your "evidence" to it's "logical" (and I use that term VERY loosely here) extension, Disney should "man up" and exterminate every disease-carrying insect, venomous snake, potentially rabid raccoon, flea-ridden squirrel, rampaging deer, and poop-bombarding seagull that might pose some remote threat to a visitor. Enjoy your animatronic vacation! (preferably in a different state).

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

We seem to have plenty of hunters, thanks. There are much bigger threats to public safety in this state than the alligator population. As with most wildlife, human development still poses a greater risk to them. Most incidents of nuisance alligators are caused by fools who decide to feed gators who happen to live near populated areas. Then the gators, of course, start to expect food, pets disappear, and the nuisance gators are removed/disposed.

This is evidence that the alligator population is out of control.

Really? Because based on the PP it sounds more like evidence that the (stupid) human population is out of control.
Not that this has very much relevance to the news story anyway.

The answer isn't "kill all alligators" any more than it is "install 1000 signs."

 

[lennyd]

Disney closing the beaches , why do we constantly close the barn door after the horse is gone

 

[moobar25]

Were you there? Were these reporters writing the articles there? Do you really know how hard the father fought or how far he went out? You have no right to judge in a horrific situation like this. You can say what you would do from the safety of your chair at home, but in the situation of life and death, with an alligator snapping at you and you (probably) trying not to tear your kids arm off in the tug of war, you have no idea what would be going through your mind. Sheer shock and disbelief might cause a person to freeze and not be able to process what they are seeing. They move VERY fast and often drag their victims underwater. It is unfathomable to me how so many can say the parents didn't do the right thing. Well guess what - they are now stuck with the godawful scene they witnessed and will never be able to forget it.

Was I there? No
Am I judging the father? No
I posed a question WHY more wasn't done- because that is my thought process from the moment I became a parent. I specifically asked why one of the PARENTS didn't go in and do more right then and there. All of the reports state that both parents tried to GRAB the boy but where unsuccessful. I don't believe I said they are horrible parents, or made poor decisions and such. I'm not the one JUDGING anyone- but you apparently are freely judging me. You don't know what situations I have or haven't been through. So until you know more about me how about you refrain from telling me what I would or wouldn't do.

I'm sure that man did everything that he could to save his child. Just because he didn't die trying doesn't mean he wouldn't have been willing to. He tried to fight him off. The gator is an aquatic animal and probably swam away leaving that poor man helpless. I'm sure right now he wishes he was dead and his child was alive.

I can't believe how judgmental people are being. First its the parents fault for letting him wade in the water, now its his fault for not trying hard enough to save him, now he's being judged for not giving his own life to try and save his child. My God....think about what this family has just endured and everyone out in "internet land" is judging and blaming instead of grieving with him. Makes me sick.

You are speculating on what happened and making assumptions. The reports did not go into detail as to how far both parents went to save the boy. I'm basing my question on facts that are being reported. And thank you for the lesson on what gators are.

What the parents and siblings are feeling right now? I have no idea. No one knows except for them. I pray for the little boy and his surviving siblings. They are the innocent ones.

 

[wilkeliza]

This is evidence that the alligator population is out of control. Of course Disney could do something about the alligators. Part of the problem is disney is pandering to the "environmentalist" crowd who will give Disney bad press and label them alligator killers. Disney needs to man up against these groups and put human safety first. I am glad to see that the orlando police are killing the ones they find in their search. At leastthey haven't been cowered yet.

Disney kills any gator that is deemed to be a human safety issue. Florida Wildlife confirmed this and said they don't have a number but Disney has an open and active permit to remove and euthanize gators on their property.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

This is evidence that the alligator population is out of control. Of course Disney could do something about the alligators. Part of the problem is disney is pandering to the "environmentalist" crowd who will give Disney bad press and label them alligator killers. Disney needs to man up against these groups and put human safety first. I am glad to see that the orlando police are killing the ones they find in their search. At leastthey haven't been cowered yet.

They are only killing them to examine the gator for remains of the child.

 

[CowboyCO]

I just read that there was an alligator attack on a 12-year-old boy at Ft Wilderness in 1986. His 10-year-old brother was able to beat on the alligator and get him to release the brother and he survived with lacerations and puncture wounds.

 

[gmboy95]

Invite out of state guests to a Floridian waterfront at night where alligators are known to thrive and don't inform them of it.

Yeah, the truth lies in the middle.

again....that is an assumption....I have zero idea about anyone's negligence and liability, and with all do respect, neither does anyone else right now beyond law enforcement, and a possible jury in the future

 

[gmboy95]

The posts about these parents possibly not fighting enough to save their child is not worthy of this site

 

[Strikan]

You couldn't be more wrong.

If I go hiking at Grand Canyon National Park I know that I could fall or get attacked by a wild animal. This isn't a controlled environment. I'm out in nature.

If I go off-trail at Steamboat Springs and point my skis toward ungroomed trails I know that I am taking a big risk. This isn't a controlled environment. I'm out in nature.

If I watch a movie on a sandy playground at a man-made luxury resort that's specifically designed for families with kids, I assume that I am completely safe. I'm not out in nature. I'm at a hotel.

Not sure you are being entirely fair here. The current situation is not equivalent to going hiking in a national Park or off-trail. This is equivalent to staying at a resort near a National Park and having a bear come into the resort area and attack someone. Do you think the resort should have a sign warning people to not go outside? In other words, this is about an uncontrollable animal coming into a controlled environment. This could happen in any of the examples you give.

 

[moobar25]

I just read that there was an alligator attack on a 12-year-old boy at Ft Wilderness in 1986. His 10-year-old brother was able to beat on the alligator and get him to release the brother and he survived with lacerations and puncture wounds.

Do you have a link you could post? I'd love to read about this heroic incident.

Edit: I found the link
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/disney-alligator-attack-eerily-foreshadowed-8200186

 

[CowboyCO]

Do you have a link you could post? I'd love to read about this heroic incident.

I guess he was 8 , and brother was 10.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-10-12/news/0260190168_1_hitt-alligator-fort-wilderness

 

[moobar25]

I guess he was 8 , and brother was 10.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1986-10-12/news/0260190168_1_hitt-alligator-fort-wilderness

We must have been posting at the same time

 

[suebeelin]

I don't understand. Aren't your legs immersed when wading?

MG

Swimming is a verb, denoting a need to (at the very least) doggie paddle and your whole body is immersed, with the need to swim/float.

We go to a lake house with a beach. You can swim in certain areas bc there are life guards.

You cannot swim in other areas bc there aren't life guards. But you can wade.

We are not from Florida and neither are the poor vacationers from Nebraska. It never occurred to us to worry about gators, snakes or amoebas and that WE SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE WATER.

No swimming means no active swimming and total body immersion in the water, thus no performing the physical act of SWIMMING.

Stay out of water means just that... Stay out of the water.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Not swimming, where you need to doggie paddle and your whole body is immersed, as in you need to swim/float.

We go to a lake house with a beach. You can swim in certain areas bc there are life guards.

You cannot swim in other areas bc there aren't life guards. But you can wade.

We are not from Florida and neither are the poor vacationers from Nebraska. It never occurred to us to worry about gators, snakes or amoebas and that WE SHOULD STAY OUT OF THE WATER.

No swimming means no active swimming and total body immersion in the water, thus no performing the physical act of SWIMMING.

I still see it as one in the same. One could "wade" in water up to their neck and drown. One could also tread water. One could float around using a life vest.
To me, it's all swimming.

MG

 

[Lynne M]

A two year old child died. Horribly. You would think we could honor that child and grieve the parents' terrible, unthinkable loss without having a thread deteriorate into name-calling, ridiculous debates, absurd and insulting assumptions, and throwing blame every which way within a matter of hours.

Apparently not. We're done here.