85-year-old woman killed after incident with alligator in southeast Florida
By Claire Colbert and Amy Simonson, CNN
An 85-year-old woman walking her dog was killed Monday when an alligator pulled her into a nearby retention pond in southeast Florida, according to wildlife officials.
Gloria Serge was walking her small dog along the pond in her community in Ft. Pierce when the alligator attempted to take her dog, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said Tuesday.
“Ms. Serge was knocked over and the alligator pulled her into the water by her foot,” according to a commission incident report.
“Serge was pulled into deeper water and died as a result of the incident,” it said. The alligator, which was approximately 10 feet long, was caught and euthanized, it added.
The dog survived, commission spokesperson Arielle Callender told CNN on Monday.
The woman was recovered and the alligator involved in the incident was captured by a contracted nuisance alligator trapper, the fish and wildlife commission said.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of the victim,” the commission said in a statement Monday.
According to the statement, serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in the state of Florida.
“The FWC places the highest priority on public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) to address complaints concerning specific alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets or property,” the statement said.
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