Florida Elderly Woman Killed After Falling Into Pond Near Home, Attacked by Two Alligators

By Mary Webber Jul 18 2022, 02:15 AM EDT

One Florida elderly woman was killed after she fell into a pond near her home and was grabbed by two alligators on a Friday night, according to authorities.

The 80-year-old victim of the alligator attack was pronounced dead at the scene. However, her official cause of death has not been determined by the Sarasota County Medical Examiner's Office, according to The New York Times report.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman, Adam Brown, said the group sent a contracted trapper who removed the alligators from the pond and euthanized them.

One alligator was measured to be eight feet and 10 inches long, while the other was estimated to be seven feet and seven inches long,

Doug Foote, the general manager of the Boca Royale Golf & Country Club, said in a statement that it was a tragic situation while offering condolences to the family members and friends of the elderly woman.

Foote added that there is an ongoing probe regarding what happened. The Country Club noted that they are working with the authorities to provide any information.

The wildlife agency said that they are not planning as of now to remove any other alligators in the area, according to a People report.

The Sheriff's Office noted that the woman was seen falling into a pond along the course at the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club in Englewood.

Authorities noted in a statement that she struggled to float before the two alligators grabbed her.

Alligator Attacks in Florida

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, alligator bites are "relatively rare" despite gaining national attention. CBS News noted that the state of Florida has around unprovoked bites per year, requiring serious medical attention over the last 10 years. The agency noted that the occurrence of a Florida being seriously injured in an unprovoked alligator incident in Florida is "roughly only one in 3.1 million."

In June, a Florida man was killed in an assumed alligator attack. The Largo Police Department said in a statement obtained by ABC News that the victim was believed to be looking for Frisbees in the water, and "a gator was involved." The victim was identified as Thomas McGuinness, 47.

The department added that McGuinness was known to be a frequent visitor of the park and entered the lake not acknowledging the posted "No Swimming" signs.