Fatal Disney Gator Attack Details Released by State

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Monday released its final report on a fatal alligator attack that occurred on the grounds of the Walt Disney Resort earlier this summer. According to the state, Lane Graves, 2, died from trauma to his head and drowning.

The attack occurred at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort in the Seven Seas Lagoon area around 8 p.m. June 14 after the Graves family of Elkhorn, Nebraska, went out to the beach to watch “Zootopia,” the report said. Lane was building sand castles while waiting for the movie to start. Lane, the state reported, went to the water's edge to get a bucket of water to pour on the sand. When he did, his father, Matt, saw a splash.

When Matt turned toward Lane, he saw an alligator bite his son's head, the report said. Lane was in water that was ankle-deep or less at the time.

Matt jumped in and tried to save Lane, but the alligator fought back and ultimately took off into deeper water, the report noted.

See also: Boy's Body Recovered After Disney Gator Attack

Lane’s 30-pound body was found submerged in approximately 7 feet of water, near the scene of the initial attack, the next day, the state noted.

“Examination of the bite pattern on the victim’s body and an autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was injuries sustained from a severe alligator bite," the report said.

The attack in Disney’s man-made lagoon kicked off a hunt for the alligator. It also prompted Disney to enhance the signage it uses around its water features.

FWC reported it subsequently captured and euthanized six alligators from the lagoon. All had necropsies performed.

“While we cannot say with absolute certainty that the subject animal has been taken, we are confident that the evidence gathered shows it is very likely that one of the two females captured close to the attack location was the offending animal,” the state’s report said.

See also: Disney Gator Attack: Officials 'Confident’ Reptile Has Been Found

Fatal alligator attacks, such as the one that claimed Lane’s life, are rare but not unheard of in Florida. Last year, a 62-year-old man swimming in Blue Spring State Park died after an alligator attack. Between 1948 and 2013, there were 22 fatalities recorded, according to FWC records. During that period, a total of 122 minor bites and 235 major bites were also logged. The last fatal alligator attack on record prior to the 2015 and 2016 incidents occurred in 2007.

Alligator-related human fatalities might not be common, but encounters with the creatures are. Those encounters add up to so many over the course of any given year that the state has set up its own hotline to accept nuisance alligator calls. That number is 1-866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286).

Orange County, where Disney is located, ranks fifth out of Florida’s 67 counties in the number of unprovoked alligator bites recorded over the last 66 years, according to the state. The statistics for Tampa Bay area counties in regard to unprovoked alligator bites are as follows:

• Hillsborough County – 13
• Pasco County – 12
• Pinellas County – 17
• Sarasota County – 19
• Manatee County – 6

FWC director Nick Wiley issued the following statement along with his agency’s final report on Lane Graves’ death:

We continue to pray for the Graves family. FWC would like to thank Disney and our partners at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for the professional collaboration on this thorough investigation. Our agency will continue to work to keep families informed on how they can safely enjoy all that Florida has to offer.

To find out more about staying safe around alligators, check out this related story: Advice For Living With Florida Alligators

Image via the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission