Heartbreaking news...a big reminder to be aware of wildlife on property

[Sona99]

Ok, thanks for clarifying. I didn't think there were lifeguards at the beach, it was the first I saw somebody reference a statement from one.

When we were staying at the Contemporary, there was a lifeguard at the pool, which is close to the beach. I suspect that the lifeguard was a pool guard.

 

[mjkacmom]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...T-shore-reptile-struck-lifeguard-reveals.html

I realize that some don't regard DM as a good source but they have been pretty accurate throughout all of this

This is from NBC 20 minutes ago:

"All we know is that [Lane] was on the edge of the water," Williamson said. "My understanding is that he wasn't swimming."

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His family members alerted a nearby lifeguard after the attack, and authorities were called as his parents desperately tried to rescue their son. Demings said it didn't appear the Graves had been doing anything wrong when it happened.

"I believe what this 2-year-old was doing was perhaps what an 2-year-old would be doing," Demings said.

 

[thedonduck]

This is from NBC 20 minutes ago:

"All we know is that [Lane] was on the edge of the water," Williamson said. "My understanding is that he wasn't swimming."

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His family members alerted a nearby lifeguard after the attack, and authorities were called as his parents desperately tried to rescue their son. Demings said it didn't appear the Graves had been doing anything wrong when it happened.

"I believe what this 2-year-old was doing was perhaps what an 2-year-old would be doing," Demings said.

You realize being 10 feet from shore, the water is only 1 foot deep in most spots especially the lagoon. My guess is he was probably just splashing around like all reports are indicating. 10 feet is most likely 3 steps for most adults if you think about it.

 

[aprilp]

I'm glad they found him. At least the family will have some kind of closure.

I was reading a Daily Mail article (yes, I know how reliable that can be), and it said this:

According to the blog Hidden Mickeys, one guest was waterskiing on the Seven Seas Lagoon several years ago when he dove in to cool off.

When he asked the boat driver if there were any gators in the water, he replied 'Yep, we pulled an eight footer out last week!'

The guest was assured that they are generally timid and scared of boats and metal screening is installed before the shorelines to prevent any of them from getting into the swimming areas of the resorts.

Anyone know anything about this supposed "metal screening"?

Unless this was many years back, I dont think what was told to him can be correct, because there aren't any swimming areas at the resorts to be screened off. From what I understand you are not allowed to swim in the lagoon at all? Besides that, I dont think metal screening could really keep gators out. I guess they could have it as a deterrent in an effort to keep alligators away from people walking by the water, but obviously it doesn't always work if that is the case.

 

[Travel Mum]

Not sure if your question was answered but, yes, I have seen alligators in the lake around BW and BC. I would say 3-4 feet long. I have not seen them on every trip buy they are there.

Oh thanks so much for letting me know - I had no idea!

 

[peteykirch]

I marked what roughly 10 feet into the lagoon would be.

 

[minniemous]

10 feet isn't as far as you think. It's about three long walking strides. Regardless, the reports have also said the child was in about a foot of water. For a 2 year old child, that's quite different than just having his feet in it.

I know blaming the parents right now is callous, and I don't want to come across that way. But people blaming the lack of warning about gators on the signs, and talk of Disney getting sued over this just irritates me in general. Are people just completely unable to think and make logical, reasonable decisions? Are they ever accountable for the consequences of their actions, or is it always someone else's fault?

A 2 year old child was a foot deep in a body of water with "NO Swimming" signs posted around its edge at 9:00 at night. Even without the risk of gators or snakes, this just doesn't seem smart.

When I see a "NO Swimming" sign, I wonder to myself WHY that sign is there. It's a natural thought. And I usually come up with several possible reasons, the main one being "Something is probably unhealthy/unclean about the water." That's enough to keep me out of it completely. Because if it's unhealthy water, you don't have to be physically "swimming" in it to be harmed.

My final thought is all of the talk faulting Disney for making the beaches deceptively inviting, like "real beaches". To these folks, I have a newsflash. "REAL" beaches are dangerous too. Lots of not-so-nice critters swimming just off the shores there, and some wicked waves and rip currents that could whisk a little one away and take its life just as quickly as this gator did.

Bless these poor folks for the horror they've had to endure. I cannot express enough how sad it makes me. But if ANYTHING good can come out of such a tragedy, perhaps it will be that people will realize THEY have to be proactive in protecting themselves and their children. When a sign says "NO Swimming" it's probably not a good idea to let your 2 year old toddler wade out a foot deep into it. Whether it's because of gators, snakes, brain-eating amoebas, e.coli, or the risk of drowning.

Yes but blaming the parents right now would be callous as you say...right? But by all means continue to blame these parents who went on vacation with their kids sat on the beach (yes it was a beach with beach chairs and sand etc.) where Disney shows movies while children play and perhaps looked at a sign that said "no swimming" and took this crazy interpretation to mean literally "no swimming" and allowing their son to not to swim but play on the waters edge is to blame. Disney could not articulate something more?

 

[yulilin3]

they also thought it was unlikely a child would get attacked as he did...........

Not sure what your point is?

 

[Rabid Nick]

It was 10 yards, not feet.

 

[kellyjeanie]

I marked what roughly 10 feet into the lagoon would be.

That doesn't look right. You have the 10 feet starting at the edge of the sand, not the edge of the water.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

So there was a lifeguard there that saw the boy wading out that far?
If so, this should put any sign debate to rest. If a lifeguard didn't make the boy get out of the water then the parents were not wrong in assuming that "no swimming" meant no actual swimming, not "no going in the water".

Well this is indeed a good point.
(Although I'm that believes no swimming means stay out).

MG

 

[peteykirch]

That doesn't look right. You have the 10 feet starting at the edge of the sand, not the edge of the water.

The left bracket of the is right on the edge of the water.

 

[momimouse27]

I've been following this all day. My heart is just breaking for this family and what they're going through, it makes me ill.

I don't think either Disney or the family is to blame. It has to be the craziest freak accident I've ever seen. I don't know if Disney is legally in the wrong or not, but I'd assume the signs would be enough to keep them out of court. I'm certainly no lawyer, so that's a guess.

Sad, sad.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

They went and got the lifeguard from the pool. The lifeguard must have seen the child being pulled by the alligator, not where the child was originally playing.

This makes sense.

MG

 

[kellyjeanie]

The left bracket of the is right on the edge of the water.

I don't think it is, I think that's the edge of the white sand under the water. The edge is where the white sand turns a different color.

 

[thedonduck]

It was 10 yards, not feet.

The 10 feet is in relation to reports that the baby was playing 10 feet from shore in about 1 foot of water.

The 10-15 yards is in regard to where the found the body.

 

[wendow]

They went and got the lifeguard from the pool. The lifeguard must have seen the child being pulled by the alligator, not where the child was originally playing.

Right. Disney lifeguards are some of the best and don't take their eyes off the pool. I cannot imagine he was just watching the beach area since that is not their territory.

 

[dnkmmw]

Well this is indeed a good point.
(Although I'm that believes no swimming means stay out).

MG

I believe this was the lifeguard for the GF pool a short distance from the beach. Either he saw the commotion in the water or the dad went over for help and pointed out where the child was.

 

[WuvEeyore]

God, I find it somehow even sadder that in the end, this child just drowned.

Alligators don't always eat their prey right away. They save it for later. Tragic as this is, at least they can give that poor baby a proper burial.

 

[TMcClure]

I'm glad I posted this to make people aware because there are many that would not have known they lurk in the waters. I am a Canadian and had no idea they were so common until my first trip to FL several years ago.

It's not hard to see how someone from Nebraska would not be aware of the threat of an alligator coming up to a sandy beach surrounded by beach chairs at a top Disney resort. Look at the following advertisement for water sports on the Seven Seas Lagoon. People water skiing, wake boarding, jet skiing. All those sports present a very high likelihood of someone coming into contact with a gator in the water. Amazing how Disney can be so reckless in allowing these activities to take place.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/recreation/contemporary-resort/sammy-duvall-watersports-centre/