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[Cabal]

All of Florida is swampland and there are gators everywhere. But how does a 2 yr old get dragged away by a gator? Where were the adults? Where was the child? Where are the details in that article? There had to have been some extreme negligence involved. RIP to the baby, at least he probably died quickly.

Maybe. Things can happen pretty quick. My wife knows a lot of Disney people and one of them said that it was a little girl, and that the parents were present and tried to fight the alligator. Literally the girl was snatched into the water while the father was trying to pull her arm away.

I was not there, but this is what I'm hearing from someone I know that would have access to this info.

 

[Litan]

Horrible.

This is why I used to get nervous when my kid was even walking along the boat dock of our canal. I just imagine some big hungry gator coming up and getting him.

Now he swims in the lake. 8 years old in the middle of a lake that we've seen a dozen or more gators on.

I sometimes look at my inlaws and my wife and go "are you out of your fucking mind?" but sit and just watch him...just watch him and not have fun because I'm fucking terrified he's going to be pulled under.

What the fuck?!

 

[3N16MA]

All of Florida is swampland and there are gators everywhere. But how does a 2 yr old get dragged away by a gator? Where were the adults? Where was the child? Where are the details in that article? There had to have been some extreme negligence involved. RIP to the baby, at least he probably died quickly.

This just happend a couple of hours ago. Usually it takes some time for that kind of info to be released.

 

[Ahasverus]

Maybe. Things can happen pretty quick. My wife knows a lot of Disney people and one of them said that it was a little girl, and that the parents were present and tried to fight the alligator. Literally the girl was snatched into the water while the father was trying to pull her arm away.

Jesus Christ, I'd probably just take my own life. Wouldn't be able to deal with that. This thread is too horrifying imo.

 

[Litan]

Maybe. Things can happen pretty quick. My wife knows a lot of Disney people and one of them said that it was a little girl, and that the parents were present and tried to fight the alligator. Literally the girl was snatched into the water while the father was trying to pull her arm away.

I was not there, but this is what I'm hearing from someone I know that would have access to this info.

That must have been terrible. Watching your child be dragged under and not being able to do shit.

 

[Somnia]

I foresee Disney changing the "no swimming" warning signs all over to "no being within x feet" and probably putting up a rope or something going forward.

 

[commedieu]

Horrible.

This is why I used to get nervous when my kid was even walking along the boat dock of our canal. I just imagine some big hungry gator coming up and getting him.

Now he swims in the lake. 8 years old in the middle of a lake that we've seen a dozen or more gators on.

I sometimes look at my inlaws and my wife and go "are you out of your fucking mind?" but sit and just watch him...just watch him and not have fun because I'm fucking terrified he's going to be pulled under.

Does he force you to let him swim, or something?

 

[burgerdog]

Maybe. Things can happen pretty quick. My wife knows a lot of Disney people and one of them said that it was a little girl, and that the parents were present and tried to fight the alligator. Literally the girl was snatched into the water while the father was trying to pull her arm away.

I was not there, but this is what I'm hearing from someone I know that would have access to this info.

The stuff of nightmares, that's so incredibly messed up.

 

[qcf x2]

Because if he's meandering around the edge of the water, it doesn't take but a second for a 400+ pound animal with to snap and drag a 2 year old into the lagoon, even if adults were around.

I guess that makes sense, but hopefully more details are forthcoming. I would think you would not leave a 2 yo unattended near any body of water for fear of drowning, but if it happened instantly there's not much anybody could do.

 

[Rival]

Horrible situation. I've seen gators in the water on Disney property before but nothing big enough to pull a kid in I wouldn't think.

 

[TheSeks]

there are aligators in the lagoon???

Probably got in through the sewage system of Disney's. Orlando is basically a urbanized theme park, so I wouldn't be surprised if mismanaged sewer systems allowed them to get into man-made lakes.

Spoiler

If they didn't climb the fences anyway

 

[3N16MA]

Horrible.

This is why I used to get nervous when my kid was even walking along the boat dock of our canal. I just imagine some big hungry gator coming up and getting him.

Now he swims in the lake. 8 years old in the middle of a lake that we've seen a dozen or more gators on.

I sometimes look at my inlaws and my wife and go "are you out of your fucking mind?" but sit and just watch him...just watch him and not have fun because I'm fucking terrified he's going to be pulled under.

He is 8. Tell him he can't swim in the lake and end of story.

 

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

Holy hell :-(.

 

[qcf x2]

Maybe. Things can happen pretty quick. My wife knows a lot of Disney people and one of them said that it was a little girl, and that the parents were present and tried to fight the alligator. Literally the girl was snatched into the water while the father was trying to pull her arm away.

I was not there, but this is what I'm hearing from someone I know that would have access to this info.

If true that's somehow even sadder for all involved. That's a huge body of water too.

 

[bengraven]

The fuck? Don't let him do that! Jesus you're his dad.

ah hell no

You should put your foot down and tell your wife and in laws he can't swim in there.

I see dozens and dozens of people skiing and swimming on the lake all the time and at the same time we're there so it looks like I'm paranoid, like some parent on the beach going "you can't go in the ocean, there are sharks!".

This is what the official website says:

"Alligators co-exist with humans on Lake Santa Fe, and are most often visible at dawn or dusk. "

 

[DOWN]

Maybe. Things can happen pretty quick. My wife knows a lot of Disney people and one of them said that it was a little girl, and that the parents were present and tried to fight the alligator. Literally the girl was snatched into the water while the father was trying to pull her arm away.

I was not there, but this is what I'm hearing from someone I know that would have access to this info.

Article says boy

 

[TheSeks]

He is 8. Tell him he can't swim in the lake and end of story.

Eh, most Floridians will swim in gator infested lakes. Hell, one of the famous river/springs around here has Gators and has warnings about giving them a wide berth if you see one. The Springs with glass bottom boats even have them. Most folks know it's a risk and so long as you stay outside of their territory they'll "leave you alone."

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Plenty of gators in North Florida too. At least northeast Florida.

Yeah, I never lived in that area. Only in central and Northwest Florida myself. My mother and brother did move to South Florida at some point.

They really are everywhere though. Just much higher concentration the farther south you go.

Eh, most Floridians will swim in gator infested lakes. Hell, one of the famous river/springs around here has Gators and has warnings about giving them a wide berth if you see one. The Springs with glass bottom boats even have them. Most folks know it's a risk and so long as you stay outside of their territory they'll "leave you alone."

Yeah, I wouldn't personally let my son swim in an area like that if there weren't a lot of other people, but there are plenty of popular springs and such where it wouldn't really bother me.
I would obviously keep him close though ;p

I've been down the Ichetucknee Spring probably 30 times and about half of those times we spotted a gator on the edges of the spring. They obviously stay away from the hundreds of noisy humans and their floating coolers.

 

[Couleurs]

What the fuck is wrong with all of you

It's Florida

 

[3N16MA]

Eh, most Floridians will swim in gator infested lakes. Hell, one of the famous river/springs around here has Gators and has warnings about giving them a wide berth if you see one. The Springs with glass bottom boats even have them. Most folks know it's a risk and so long as you stay outside of their territory they'll "leave you alone."

If the parents are standing there terrified as their kid swims in a gator infested lake then the kid shouldn't swim in the lake.

 

[Ahasverus]

Eh, most Floridians will swim in gator infested lakes. Hell, one of the famous river/springs around here has Gators and has warnings about giving them a wide berth if you see one. The Springs with glass bottom boats even have them. Most folks know it's a risk and so long as you stay outside of their territory they'll "leave you alone."

How kind of the gators for putting those big neon signs of "My territory starts here, Thank you for your comprehension".

 

[Rudelord]

I see dozens and dozens of people skiing and swimming on the lake all the time and at the same time we're there so it looks like I'm paranoid, like some parent on the beach going "you can't go in the ocean, there are sharks!".

This is what the official website says:

"Alligators co-exist with humans on Lake Santa Fe, and are most often visible at dawn or dusk. "

Honestly, provided he's not out swimming by himself and/or swimming at night, the chances are extremely low. I understand the concern, though.

 

[UberTag]

Orlando has not been getting it easy lately

One has to imagine the past 5 days - unrelated incidents or not - is going to hurt their tourism industry.

 

[TheSeks]

If the parents are standing there terrified as their kid swims in a gator infested lake then the kid shouldn't swim in the lake.

Ben's not a native Floridian.

Spoiler

Hell, by proxy I'm not either

. Most Floridians know there are Gators in the lakes and like I said, they generally will not care and go the other way on the lake. Most folks keep an eye out. While I can understand Ben's frustration, I can also understand why his wife and her parents don't care.

 

[Cabal]

Article says boy

Can't 100% verify but that's the story I got. Regardless of whether that's true or not, it's a terribly sad situation.

 

[ipitydatfu]

gators are even found the sewers

 

[bengraven]

Eh, most Floridians will swim in gator infested lakes. Hell, one of the famous river/springs around here has Gators and has warnings about giving them a wide berth if you see one. The Springs with glass bottom boats even have them. Most folks know it's a risk and so long as you stay outside of their territory they'll "leave you alone."

Ben's not a native Floridian.

Spoiler

Hell, by proxy I'm not either

. Most Floridians know there are Gators in the lakes and like I said, they generally will not care and go the other way on the lake. Most folks keep an eye out. While I can understand Ben's frustration, I can also understand why his wife and her parents don't care.

Seks knows what lake I'm talking about and how it's really not as bad as my poor weak heart thinks it is.

I also don't like him in the ocean because there are sharks.

Honestly, provided he's not out swimming by himself and/or swimming at night, the chances are extremely low. I understand the concern, though.

They swim in the middle of the lake near a boat and always with flotation devices or near a large, shallow shelf which is usually (on nice summer weekend days) full of other people who park their boats and drink. Or the local "beach" area which is filled with people and might make gators nervous.

I'm just saying I hate it, but I know I'm overreacting.

 

[Ponn]

I see dozens and dozens of people skiing and swimming on the lake all the time and at the same time we're there so it looks like I'm paranoid, like some parent on the beach going "you can't go in the ocean, there are sharks!".

This is what the official website says:

"Alligators co-exist with humans on Lake Santa Fe, and are most often visible at dawn or dusk. "

Florida is full of stupid people that do stupid things all the time. Unfortunately we sometimes let the majority of those stupid people let us feel safe when we aren't. All the water spots in Florida are fucking disgusting holes of brain eating amoeba, poisonous snakes,disease carrying mosquitoes and alligators. It's not worth it to swim in that disgusting muddy shitty water. Go to a community pool, at least its chlorinated.

 

[rogue74]

All you people who are quick to blame the parents and scream "negligence!" need to wait for more details. You obviously aren't familiar with alligators and crocodiles.

These reptiles scan the shoreline by only sticking their eyes out of the water. When they spot potential prey they quickly launch themselves, grab the animal with their jaws and drag them under. They are lightning quick when they do this. The prey is under water in a matter of seconds. The parents could have been standing near their kid and would not have been able to do a thing.

In fact, this is probably how it happened. How would authorities even know the toddler was was taken by a gator in the first place? If the parents had just let him wander off the news wouldn't know an alligator was involved. Poor parents probably saw it happen.

I live in Miami. Have lived here for 36 years. I am used to living near gators. I canoe all the time in the everglades with gators swimming nearby. Attacks are rare but they do happen and it's horrifying when it does.

 

[Haint]

I'm assuming they found this out via security footage? Surely the parents or bystanders didn't just watch the gator drag the child, do nothing, and then report it to the police.

 

[effzee]

As a father of a 2 year old this is destroying me.

Can't imagine the grief the parents must be going through.

 

[FalsettoVibe]

Horrible news.

 

[Somnia]

I'm assuming they found this out via security footage? Surely the parents or bystanders didn't just watch the gator drag the child, do nothing, and then report it to the police.

Umm you can't do much if a gator grabs your 2 year old and pulls him into the water. What exactly are you going to do?

 

[3N16MA]

As a father of a 2 year old this is destroying me.

Can't imagine the grief the parents must be going through.

This would be an everlasting nightmare for me. I'm not even sure how I would be able to move forward after something like that.

 

[Madness]

I'm assuming they found this out via security footage? Surely the parents or bystanders didn't just watch the gator drag the child, do nothing, and then report it to the police.

What do you expect anyone to do? Gators and Crocs grab prey in seconds and then disappear into the water. The child was most likely dead within minutes either by drowning as the alligator dragged him under or by the massive trauma the wounds would have caused. Reading up on this, it happened at 9:30pm at night. Which means a dark and murky lagoon. So by the time the parents probably noticed the grab or noticed their child was no longer on the land near the lagoon it is too late.

 

[gutter_trash]

what is a 2 year old doing out at 9:30pm unattended?

 

[Zen_Arcade]

Horrible.

This is why I used to get nervous when my kid was even walking along the boat dock of our canal. I just imagine some big hungry gator coming up and getting him.

Now he swims in the lake. 8 years old in the middle of a lake that we've seen a dozen or more gators on.

I sometimes look at my inlaws and my wife and go "are you out of your fucking mind?" but sit and just watch him...just watch him and not have fun because I'm fucking terrified he's going to be pulled under.

Fuck that bullshit. Why do they think it's a good idea to let your kid swim in the same lake as one of the most terrifying aquatic killing machines in history?

 

[Gallbaro]

9:30 at night, they were probably on the hotels beach watching the fireworks. Lights are dimmed during the fireworks...

Horrible

 

[Chmpocalypse]

Horrible.

This is why I used to get nervous when my kid was even walking along the boat dock of our canal. I just imagine some big hungry gator coming up and getting him.

Now he swims in the lake. 8 years old in the middle of a lake that we've seen a dozen or more gators on.I

I sometimes look at my inlaws and my wife and go "are you out of your fucking mind?" but sit and just watch him...just watch him and not have fun because I'm fucking terrified he's going to be pulled under.

Um

How do I ask this...

Why the fuck do you allow that?!

 

[stufte]

Reason #453 why I'll never live in Florida.

 

[Jailer of Hope]

what is a 2 year old doing out at 9:30pm unattended?

Parks regularly close late. Occasionally up to 1-2am. People on vacation sleep on their own schedule.

9:30 at night, they were probably on the hotels beach watching the fireworks. Lights are dimmed during the fireworks...

Horrible

Also this.

 

[effzee]

This would be an everlasting nightmare for me. I'm not even sure how I would be able to move forward after something like that.

Sadly I've had a morbid nightmare or 2 where something harms my son, especially with all the ills of the world constantly in the news and fresh on the mind.

I would completely be incapable of existing and wouldn't know how to function. Best of luck and prayers for the parents.

 

[Madness]

http://m.liveleak.com/view?i=0fa_1416375733

This video doesn't show anything gruesome and the dog has great agility to escape but it shows how quick a crocodile/gator is, alligators are not as large as crocs but are just as quick. Now imagine a little boy near the edge of the lagoon and it is ay 9:30pm at night.

 

[DOWN]

what is a 2 year old doing out at 9:30pm unattended?

No one said the child was unattended that we know of. There are witnesses. The fireworks are often watched by hotel guests on the fake beaches along the lake.

 

[cogent]

I'm assuming they found this out via security footage? Surely the parents or bystanders didn't just watch the gator drag the child, do nothing, and then report it to the police.

You realize an Alligator can grab you and drag you under water in a matter of seconds right? This wasn't some slow drag...

 

[Netherscourge]

1. How close was the child to the water?

2. Why was he that close to the water?

3. If there are gators in the fucking water, why the fuck are there no barriers up in the first place?

4. Why the fuck would it even be possible for a child to get close enough to alligator-infested waters, at DISNEY FUCKING WORLD, in the first place?

This is either horrible parenting or another boy falling into gorilla enclosure at the zoo incident. There is no way in hell anyone should be on the shoreline of alligator-infested waters.

 

[Gallbaro]

No one said the child was unattended that we know of. There are witnesses. The fireworks are often watched by hotel guests on the fake beaches along the lake.

Actually looks like they were watching a movie on the beach. Inflatable projector and group of people.

1. How close was the child to the water?

2. Why was he that close to the water?

3. If there are gators in the fucking water, why the fuck are there no barriers up in the first place?

4. Why the fuck would it even be possible for a child to get close enough to alligator-infested waters, at DISNEY FUCKING WORLD, in the first place?

This is either horrible parenting or another boy falling into gorilla enclosure at the zoo incident.

1. Those beaches are never more than 20ft of sand.

2. These resorts often have movie projectors set up. On their beach and people go on to the beach to watch fireworks. Not really an isolated area.

3. Water is a massive architectural feature in the parks and not fenced off. This will probably change after this.

 

[dr3upmushroom]

Horrible.

This is why I used to get nervous when my kid was even walking along the boat dock of our canal. I just imagine some big hungry gator coming up and getting him.

Now he swims in the lake. 8 years old in the middle of a lake that we've seen a dozen or more gators on.

I sometimes look at my inlaws and my wife and go "are you out of your fucking mind?" but sit and just watch him...just watch him and not have fun because I'm fucking terrified he's going to be pulled under.

It's your kid man, you can tell you in-laws and your wife that you don't want your kid in the water.

 

[Yaboosh]

1. How close was the child to the water?

2. Why was he that close to the water?

3. If there are gators in the fucking water, why the fuck are there no barriers up in the first place?

4. Why the fuck would it even be possible for a child to get close enough to alligator-infested waters, at DISNEY FUCKING WORLD, in the first place?

This is either horrible parenting or another boy falling into gorilla enclosure at the zoo incident. There is no way in hell anyone should be on the shoreline of alligator-infested waters.

Every body of water in Florida has gators.

Not everything has to be somebody's fault. Sometimes tragedies just happen.

 

[rjinaz]

http://m.liveleak.com/view?i=0fa_1416375733

This video doesn't show anything gruesome and the dog has great agility to escape but it shows how quick a crocodile/gator is, alligators are not as large as crocs but are just as quick. Now imagine a little boy near the edge of the lagoon and it is ay 9:30pm at night.

Man it looks like that dog just happened to slip the right way to turn away from it instead of moving forward. Luckiest damn dog alive.