Family Sues Community Where Woman Was Killed By A Gator
You’re more likely to get struck my lightning than you are to get attacked by a gator. At least that’s what people say. Anytime you see a body of water in the Sunshine State, it’s safe to assume there’s a gator lurking beneath the surface. A family is suing a retirement community after an 85 year old woman was killed by a gator while walking her dog.
Why is the family suing the community?
On February 20, Gloria Serge was taking her dog for a walk at a nearby retention pond in the ‘Spanish Lakes Fairways’ retirement community. A 10 foot gator dragged her into the water and drowned her. The family’s attorney said, “In fact, the neighborhood named this particular alligator Henry, and they named it Henry because the alligator was seen so often on the shores of this retention pond.”
On Thursday, the Family’s attorneys filed a lawsuit against the community. The suit claims the retirement community failed to call the Florida Fish and Wildlife to remove the gator. Gloria’s family believes the community is to blame for her death.
The firm’s managing partner said there were no signs posted around the lake telling residents to beware of the gator and there were benches along the shoreline of the pond for residents to sit on.
Gloria’s family says that this was “100% preventable” because they knew about the gators dwelling within the pond and “encouraged activity at the retention pond”.
How can you prevent alligator attacks?
Alligator attacks are 100% preventable. There’s a few simple rules to live by in Florida so you can avoid these attacks. Always assume there’s a gator lurking beneath the surface of any body of water. Just because its a small drainage ditch next to the road, doesn’t mean they can’t be in there. Keep your dogs away from the pond’s edge and always be cautious of your surroundings. Feeding alligators is never a good idea and it is illegal in the state of Florida.
To learn more about what you can do to prevent getting killed by a gator, visit here.
[Source: WFLA]
The 5 Most Dangerous Animals In Florida
Great White Shark
Yes, Great White Sharks are found in the waters around Florida. A almost 1,200 pound shark that was almost 13 feet in length was tracked back in March of this year.
Bull Shark
#1 and #2 on the list are sharks. They are in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. They grow to about 11 feet and can live about 24 years.
Alligator
Alligators live in all 67 counties in Florida. You can find alligators in any body of water including lakes, ponds, rivers, marshes, swamps and man-made canals. We’ve seen multiple reports this year of gator attacks, even some fatal ones.
Eastern Dimondback Rattlesnake
They are found in pine flatwoods, longleaf pine and turkey oak hammocks, sand pine scrub areas, and coastal barrier islands. Yes it is venomous.
Cottonmouth Snake
It is venomous and can be found throughout Florida. It is called a cottonmouth because of the white color of the inside of its mouth.
