Large Alligator Spotted Dragging Human Corpse In Mouth In Florida, Put Down By Authorities

Alligator Spanning 4.2m Seen Dragging Corpse In Mouth Down Street In Florida

Recently, in Florida, an alligator was spotted carrying a human corpse in its mouth, shocking many in the area.

Following several reports, emergency responders, alongside other authorities, pulled the reptile from the water.

They then shot it dead, describing the process as “humane killing”.

The authorities successfully retrieved the body and identified the victim as 41-year-old Sabrina Peckham.

4.2m-long alligator drags corpse in mouth along Florida street

According to Bay News 9, the incident occurred in Largo, a city in Pinellas County, Florida, on 22 Sep.

Witnesses in the area saw an alligator spanning 14 feet (around 4.2m) drag a human corpse in its mouth towards a body of water near Ridgecrest Park.

One of them, JaMarcus Bullard, shared that he began recording the sight after realising the reptile was carrying a corpse.

“I came down to the fire department and reported it to them,” he told Bay News 9. Crews present at the department subsequently contacted 911 for assistance.

Bullard added that emergency personnel then pulled the alligator from the water, shooting it a “few times.”

Jennifer Dean, another resident in the area, said her neighbours told her about the incident.

“While we were standing here, we heard a shot. I assume they killed the gator,” she said.

Dean added that while there were a lot of alligators in the region, she had never seen one as large as it.

Footage by Fox 13 Tampa Bay showed the animal surrounded by several police officers next to a pool of blood.

Victim of alligator identified

In a press release, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said that on 22 Sep, deputies received a report of a body in a waterway in 134th Avenue North and 121st Street North in Largo.

At approximately 1.50pm, they responded and worked with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to remove the alligator.

They then “humanely killed” it, reported as a shooting by the Daily Mail.

Deputies from the sheriff’s office dive team also managed to retrieve the victim’s remains from the waterway.

After an autopsy, the medical examiner’s office identified her as Peckham, the sheriff’s office shared in an update on 23 Sep.

As for determining the manner and cause of death, the office said both details were pending.

In addition, they have notified Peckham’s next of kin of her death, with investigations ongoing.

Also read: Elderly Woman Drowns After Being Dragged By Alligator Into Florida Pond, Reptile Euthanised

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Featured image adapted from Fox 13 Tampa Bay.