After the alligator attack at Disney claimed the life of two-year-old Lane Graves, new details have emerged that are utterly horrifying.
The final report issued by the Florida authorities regarding the attack stated that as Lane bent down to scoop up some wet sand, his father, Matt Graves, “heard a splash in the water.” Matt turned around and saw the alligator had his son’s head in its jaws.
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Lane’s father then desperately tried everything he could to save son back from the gator. One eyewitness, 16-year-old Peter Courakos, recalled the horrific scene stating, “I saw the father jump in after the gator and the rolled around in the water.”
Another bystander described seeing Matt Graves running out of the water “with blood all over the right side of his face and right hand.” After Matt was unable to free his son from the gator’s grip, Matt began yelling, “Please come help my son a gator got him.”
After a 16-hour search, Lane’s body was eventually found. According to TODAY, the Florida Wildlife officials captured and killed six alligators in the wake of the tragedy, and they believe that “it is very likely” that they got the one that killed Lane. However, they cannot be absolutely certain.
At the Grand Floridian Resort, Disney proceeded to build a stone wall around the lagoon where the attack happened. They also added warning signs, but the new report issued by the Wildlife Conservation Commission raises concerns and questions about whether Disney ignored the previous warnings. The report mentioned two separate occasions where people reported alligator sightings to the employees at Disney. There’s no word yet on what actions were taken, if any were at all.
Lane Graves would have turned three years old on September 3.
Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to Lane Graves’ family.
[H/T TODAY]
