Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. By Christian Boschult christian.boschult@myhorrynews.com Jul 15, 2022 0 Alligators like this one. If a person is in the unfortunate situation where an alligator attacks a pet, Mazzotti says its best not to get in the alligators way. According to SCDNR South Carolina has had only three fatal alligator attacks in its recorded history and each occurred within the last four years. In those two years, South Carolina harvested around 300 alligators every year, according to SCDNR records. The unnamed victim was found last Friday around 11:45 a.m. near Excalaber Court outside of . It was no walk in the park for a South Carolina man who saved his dog from an alligator attack during a morning stroll. "I can't see her.". It was the fourthdeath from alligator attacks this year after a man was killed looking for Frisbees on May 31 in Florida,another manwas killed near a retention pond in South Carolina on June 24and an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along a golf course. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. May 5, 2020 / 6:24 AM / CBS/AP. An autopsy Monday found Covert died of drowning, the Charleston County Coroners Office said. "I see her," the neighbor said with audible emotion in her voice. Once officers arrived on the scene, officials determined that "an alligator had taken hold of a neighbor and retreated into a nearby retention pond," a statement from the Horry County Police Department said. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common. After repeatedly saying there was still no sight of the woman in the water, the neighbor then saw her body resurface. The HCPD and the Horry County Coroner's Office did not immediately respond to ABC News' request for comment. Deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office were notified around 11:15 a.m. about an alligator that looked as if it was "standing guard" beside a . Photo: Getty. We have an open microphone policy here at FITSNews! Fatal alligator attacks are typically rare in the United States, with the Center for Disease and Prevention reporting that alligators killed only 10 people in the Southeast from 1999 to 2019. But, theres a caveat. The Associated Press. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) officials urge residents and tourists to never feed alligators as it makes them more aggressive toward humans. Authorities previously confirmed to PEOPLE that Gloria Serge was "walking her small dog along a retention pool" in the Ft. Pierce community where she lived when an alligator, estimated to be around 10-feet long, "pulled her into the water.". The death on Friday was the first from an alligator attack in South Carolina since May 2020, when 58-year-old Cynthia Covert was dragged into a pond behind her friends home on Kiawah Island, near Charleston, according to The Post and Courier. Responders found the gator "guarding" Becker, officials said. 1:39 A person in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Friday near a community retention pond outside Myrtle Beach, authorities said. The Florida commission says the chances of a Florida resident being seriously injured in an unprovoked alligator attack are in one in 3.1 million. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Also make yourself appear as big as possible, the bigger you appear, the less likely the gator is to engage.. The victim was recovered from the pond, and the alligator was removed and euthanized on site. Jurors on Wednesday visited the South Carolina estate where prosecutors say disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh shot and killed his wife and son, touring the crime scene before . The body of a man who had been retrieving Frisbees from a lake in Largo, Fla., which serves as a habitat for alligators, was found on May 31. The Charleston County Sheriffs Office responded to the incident on Salt Cedar Lane, Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. Friday. Authorities say the woman "died as a result of the incident" and that her body was recovered, according to a statement previously obtained by PEOPLE from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. A woman killed by an alligator at a South Carolina pond told a friend she wanted to get close to the animal and didnt scream as it attacked her and dragged her into the water, according to a police report. First responders were then able to pull the womans body from the water. His recommendation for anyone who does get attacked by an alligator: Fight like your life depends on it., Poke the gator in the eyes and try to ram your hand down its throat, he advises. He said the reports come amid an increase in building development and in the number of people moving into areas previously occupied by alligators. May is mating season for alligators in South Carolina, which means alligators are more active this time of the year. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! The alligator, a 9-foot, 8-inch male, was later captured, removed from the pond and euthanized, officials said. Mazzotti says people need to be aware of their surrounding when they are near water or in areas where they have been alligator sightings. When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Legal Statement. Prior to that attack, an unidentified victim died after analligatordragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. That said, South Carolina's Post and Courier reports that the state recorded five deaths resulting from alligator attacks between 2016 and 2022 but none in the previous 16 years. The situation . As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. The Florida conservation commission said in November 2021 there were 442 unprovoked alligator bites in Florida from 1948 to 2021, averaging six a year. Alligator attacks are rare but not surprising, Major Viens said of the area. The huge reptile "took a hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated" back into the water in a golf and yacht club community in Myrtle . While he was unaware of the details of Mondays alligator attack, Mr. Butfiloski said that such attacks typically happen when a person is near the edge of a body of water, and occur more frequently when a person is accompanied by a pet. "I think she's gone. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Alligators will often reposition its bite, take advantage of that to get away. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? "If you should be attacked, fight like your life depends on it because it does," Mazzoti said. From our records, there wasnt an attack from 1915 to 1976, but that could just be because they werent newsworthy back then.. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near the pond and slipped in. The latest was at least the fourth in the United States since May and the second this year in South Carolina. However, it certainly gets a lot of attention while it's hanging out near the entrance of the South Carolina business. Such attacks are rare in the United States, typically occurring about once a year, but the latest one on Friday was the second in less than a month. A woman was killed in. Anyone can read what you share. Fraser actually marketed the Sea Pines Resort using the allure of alligators. Florida, which has the most human-alligator interactions, has recorded 24 deadly alligator attacks since 1948 but 14 of those have occurred in the last 20 years, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data. An estimated 5 million wild American alligators live across 10 states in Southeast and beyond - even in the southeastern tip of Oklahoma. Stephen Benjamin, the former mayor of Columbia, S.C., will be the new senior adviser and director of the Office of Public Engagement, replacing Keisha Lance Bottoms, the White House announced on Monday. She saw an alligator and was fascinated by it and went to touch it, against her friends warning. Covert never screamed during the deadly attack, the woman told police. Alligators are active during spring and summer because when temperatures rise, their metabolism increases and they look for food, Melody Kilborn, a spokesperson for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, told ABC News last month. The first was an elderly woman in Charleston County in 2016. 'Walkers beware! "And then her husband, he was in charge with bocce years ago, and he passed away. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. Magazines, Digital Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "She fell down and [it] took her.". Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. Shizuka Matsuki, 47, was last seen walking her two dogs in South Florida before her body was found miles away in a lake in Davie, Florida. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal . The woman's body was recovered about two hours later, and as of 4 p.m. local time the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources remained on the scene attempting to locate and remove the alligator from the pond, police said. This was the first fatal attack in the state by an alligator since May 2020. Despite what seems to be increasing frequency, Mazzotti says attacks are still remarkably rare, considering the number of alligators in southeastern U.S. Experts explain why. She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". T he death of Cassandra Cline, a 45-year-old . Messages left for the department were not immediately returned on Sunday. Theyre a part of nature., He called Fridays death a tragic, freak accident.. Sun City Hilton Head, a residential community for older adults that has many ponds, is about 15 miles west of Hilton Head Island and covers roughly nine square miles. ', Man Fatally Shot Ex-Girlfriend's Sister After Convincing Her to Pull Over on Road, Then Killed Himself, remembered by loved ones as being a "good friend. Elderly South Carolina Woman Killed by an Alligator After Falling into Pond. Alligator attacks in South Carolina have increased, likely because of human activities. Alligators are naturally afraid of humans, but will attack in certain instances. Rescuers determined that an alligator took hold of a neighbor who was near the edge of a retention pond and retreated into it, the department said in a statement. Long Waits, Short Appointments, Huge Bills. Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. Fatal alligator attacks are rare in the United States. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. All rights reserved. The woman Covert was staying with said she didnt seem herself Friday and walked toward the alligator, which lunged and grabbed her in its mouth when she was about 4 feet away, deputies said. Universal Images Group via Getty Images, FILE. The pond in which the body was found is surrounded by houses on all sides, said Major Viens, noting that it was the second alligator attack in the gated community in five years. When we got there thats exactly what we found, said Maj. Angela Viens, a public information officer with the Beaufort County sheriffs office. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. A 43-year-old man was attackedby an alligatorand treated for a "serious injury in his arm" onJuly 20and a 34-year-old man was bit on his face during a swim in a Florida lake onAug. 4. Cynthia Covert, 58, died in the attack Friday afternoon on Kiawah Island, Charleston County deputies said. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says licensed hunters remove over 1,000 nuisance alligators which are any ones deemeda "threat to pets, livestock or humans" a year, and attack reports in the state are usually just encounters. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. a man was killed looking for Frisbees on May 31 in Florida, another manwas killed near a retention pond in South Carolina on June 24, an 80-year-old Florida woman was killed along a golf course, run-ins with the reptiles near their homes, What to know if you're bitten by a rattlesnake, What should you do if you see a bear? It appears she was gardening near a pond in an adult-only . The South Carolina woman rescued by her neighbor as she was being attacked by an alligator is the second woman to have been attacked in such a manner on Hilton Head Island in only three years . You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said, the second fatal attack in the state in 2022 and at least the fourth nationwide this year. / CBS News. In an interview on Sunday, Mr. Repak said it was common to watch alligators walk on a road over a pair of retention ponds. Theyre not going to chase you down the fairway in these golfing communities., Alligator Kills 88-Year-Old Woman in South Carolina, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/15/us/alligator-attack-south-carolina.html. The dog survived the attack, per the FWC. This is at least the third fatal alligator attack in South Carolina in the past four years. When Covert was about four feet from the edge of the water, the alligator attacked and dragged her into the water, according to the incident report. The area in the Outer Banks is a favorite hangout spot for great white sharks, apparently. However, alligators may be more inclined to approach humans if fed by one, which is why it's illegal to do so in many states. Everybody treats them with a healthy respect. While alligator attacks are rare in South Carolina, they are becoming more common as more humans move to alligator-populated areas. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. The following day, a person walking their dog discovered McGuiness' body along the lake's shoreline. Cynthia Covert, 58, drowned Friday after an alligator repeatedly pulled her into a pond on Kiawah Island, according to a report from the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. CLICK HERE. A person died after an alligator dragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, police said Friday. As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Moments before the attack, the womans friend warned her to not get closer to the alligator, according to a sheriffs office incident report obtained by FITSNews, but reported first by the Post and Courier. When officers arrived, they found a large alligator by the edge of a pond near the body of an unidentified woman, police said. Before Fridays deadly attack, the most recent incident was a 44-year-old teacher in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina who was killed by an alligator while walking her dog near a lagoon in the gated community of Sea Pines. Alligators typically breed and look for new habitats inthe spring and summertime, meaning there could be an increase in alligator activity. Alligators are naturally afraid of humans, but will attack in certain instances. The victim was identified as 88-year-old Nancy Becker, ABC News reports. For reference, you have a better chance of getting attacked by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park. The death of Cassandra Cline, a 45-year-old elementary school teacher, who was killed by a 9-foot alligator while protecting her dog on Hilton Head Island Monday made headlines around the world. SCDNR officials have estimated that 100,000 alligators live in South Carolina. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. Her death has been. This attack is the fourth reported in Charleston County history, according to SCDNR records. Noting that serious injuries caused by alligator attacks are rare in state, the FWC said in a statement that anyone with concerns should call their toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR(866-392-4286). 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Aug. 15, 2022 The body of an 88-year-old woman who was killed by an alligator was discovered on Monday in a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., officials said. Alligators are found throughout the Southeast and wetlands, with their range stretching as far west as eastern Texas, and as far east as coastal North Carolina, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. or redistributed. A baby alligator was spotted running on the loose outside of a South Carolina Starbucks recently. The woman's husband and another man tried beating the alligator with shovels, but the animal swam deeper, the police report said. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. A South Carolina woman was rescued by a neighbor Thursday morning during a violent alligator attack in the state, authorities said. Then, the gator bit his leg. At 2:30 p.m., the department updated its statement to confirm there was no further threat in the area, and that community members may resume normal activities. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident, the latest in a small string of fatal alligator attacks this summer. The officers were called to a pond on Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. and saw. Market data provided by Factset. ", "She played cards," Sandy Sauers, a friend, told WPBF. The creature is most abundant in Louisiana and Florida, with each state having a population of over 1 million alligators. A 90-year-old woman walked out of a Charleston nursing home in 2016 andwas killed, while a 45-year-old woman walking her dog wasfatally attacked on Hilton Head Islandin August 2018. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. In South Carolina, they can be found in the states coastal marshlands, according to the Department of Natural Resources. CNN A person was killed by an alligator near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, according to police. "He's so frightened," she told the operator. A woman was killed in an alligator attack Monday in South Carolina,officials confirmed,in what has become an unusual year for alligator attacks. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Its unlikely for them to leave the water to come after someone, he said. Of those bites, 26 were fatal, meaning there was one fatal injury nearly every three years in the state. Alligator attacks are very rare, even in Louisiana and Florida. Alligators only attack when threatened or cornered, but if a human is in water with alligators, it may entice them. The victim, identified as Cynthia Covert, was dragged into a pond behind her friend's home on Kiawah Island, near Charleston, and said calmly, "I guess I won't do this again," as her friend tried to pull her away from the alligator. A man has died after an alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, S.C., June 24, 2022. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. Over the course of the phone call, which lasted for over eight minutes, the neighbor said she had gone to get a pole to rescue the woman after the attack. Police said the victim, whose identity has not been released yet, was recovered from the pond and the alligator was removed. At least four people have been killed in alligator attacks in 2022. Anyone can read what you share. ", RELATED VIDEO: Officials Say Shark Attacked Woman Who Vanished While Snorkeling with Husband, Blast 'Conspiracy Theories'. The police believe that Mr. McGuinness, 47, had entered the lake in John S. Taylor Park at night. Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog, Florida Man Hospitalized After Alligator Bites His Face During Swim Near Tampa, 88-Year-Old S.C. Woman Dead After Being Attacked by Alligator at Retirement Community, 11-Foot Alligator Attacks and Kills Florida Woman, 85, Who Was Walking Her Dog, Florida Alligator Stuck in Pond with Her Mouth Taped Shut Is Rescued and Freed After 2 Months, Fla. Man Hospitalized After Alligator Bites His Face During Swim Near Tampa, Girl, 16, Dies in Australia Shark Attack After Jumping into Water to Swim with Dolphins: 'We Are Devastated', 10-Ft. Alligator Spotted on a Florida Beach, Body Cam Footage of Paul Pelosi's Attack Released, Showing Moment Assailant Lunged at Him with Hammer, Man Helps Rescue 77-Year-Old Woman Attacked by Alligator at Retirement Community: 'He Saved Her', 'We Were in the Middle of Dancing': Witness Describes Horror of Mass Shooting at Calif. A biologist with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and an alligator-removal contractor determined that the animal needed to be humanely euthanized on site, the police said. In 1962, Fraser walked alongside an alligator named Albert for a magazine photoshoot that attracted attention from around the world. Watch Live: Closing arguments begin in double murder trial of Alex Murdaugh, Intel review says "very unlikely" foreign adversary behind "Havana Syndrome", Ex-Georgia star Jalen Carter was racing in deadly crash, arrest warrants allege, Watch Live: Garland testifies amid ongoing special counsel investigations, Fiery train crash in Greece kills dozens, many of them students. By Gina Martinez August 21, 2018 4:16 PM EDT. Texas Parks and Wildlifesays a safe distance away from an alligator is at least 30 feet, and while extremely rare for them to chase humans, they can run up to 35 mph for a short period of time. The unidentified woman. Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. Write to Gina Martinez at gina.martinez@time.com. The attack occurred near a lagoon on Hilton Head Island on the state's. Mazzotti says he believes a major factor in Clines death was her dog, which alligators perceive as food. June 25, 2022 / 2:26 PM / CBS News. My prayers and heart go out to the family as my arms wrap tighter around my kids and dogs near these ponds.. In an extremely rare event, a South Carolina woman was killed in an alligator attack Friday on Kiawah Island, according to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office . A good comparison would be that a dog is like what a bowl of pasta or chicken is to a human, when an alligator sees a dog they see their next meal, he says. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? During the call, the neighbor also went to go get the dog. "It's too late," the neighbor said. A biologist and a contracted alligator removal service from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources determined the alligator should be humanely euthanized on site, according to police. The victim has not been identified. Coverts friend yelled to not get any closer, but Covert continued off the back steps towards to where the alligator was, the report said. The animal latched onto Covert's left leg and began pulling her into. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. Newly acquired data from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources suggests there has been an increase in the number of alligator encounters in the Palmetto State . And you know, she's been alone. I couldnt have imagined that it was likely one of these alligators that would later kill a man, he wrote on Friday. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. There were an average of about 10 alligator bites a year in the 2010s, compared with an average of eight a year in the 1980s. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. A person walking their dog discovered his body along the shoreline the next morning, the police said. An investigation into the death is continuing, the police said. One person has been killed in a fatal alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Cline was walking her dog alongside a lagoon adjacent to the Sea Pines Resort golf course when she was attacked about 9:30 a.m. Sea Pine, a 5,200-square-foot gated community, was built in 1957 and is located at the southern tip of Hilton Head Island. Deadly alligator attacks on humans are rare. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The body of an 88-year-old woman who was killed by an alligator was discovered on Monday in a pond in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., officials said. Mazzoti added alligators "don't perceive humans as either a threat or as food.". Don't turn and run, expert warns. All Rights Reserved. According to the report, Covert's friend yelled at her not to get closer, but she continued off the back steps towards where the alligator was located, CBS affiliate WCSC reported. Alligators do not have an instinct to attack humans, he says. The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. But fatal gator attacks are rare. In many instances, there are several of factors that contribute to an alligator attack. There are an estimated 100,000 alligators in South Carolina alone. Fatal alligator attacks are rare rare enough that they attract a lot of attention when they happen. A South Carolina woman was attacked by an eight-foot-long alligator while walking her dog on Thursday morning. According to a 2019 University of Florida analysis, venomous injuries largely from contact with hornets, wasps and bees resulted in an average of more than 56 fatalities per year in the United States, compared with about one per year from alligator attacks. A woman killed by an alligator at a South Carolina pond told a friend she wanted to get close to the animal and didn't scream as it attacked her and dragged her into the water, according to a police report. However, this is the second fatal attack in a month. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City . The good news for humans: Alligators have a natural fear of humans and usually will retreat when approached, Texas Parks and Wildlife says. Alligator attacks, like one after which a woman was found dead near Hilton Head Island, S.C., are rare but not surprising, said Maj. Angela Viens of the Beaufort County sheriffs office. This marks the fifth alligator death in South Carolina since 2000, according to the Department of Natural Resources and the sheriff's office. Jason Repak, who lives in the same community as the victim, snapped a photo of three alligators behind his condominium last month and posted it on social media. 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A 9-foot, 8-inch male, south carolina alligator attack later captured, removed from the animal, according to SCDNR records first... Afternoon on Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. and saw who Vanished while Snorkeling with husband, Blast Theories. 'S too late, '' the neighbor said inthe spring and summertime meaning... Enough that they attract a lot of time theyll spend time below the water to come after someone he. Is at least the third fatal alligator attacks in its recorded history and occurred. Resident being seriously injured in an apparent alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina south carolina alligator attack which means alligators more! On desktop notifications for breaking News, live events, and he passed away attack at a pond on Island. Appears the victim, Nancy Becker, officials said County Sheriffs Office responded to a lot time. Alligator sightings, `` she played cards, '' Mazzoti said attacked by a grizzly bear in National! Was found last Friday around 11:45 a.m. near Excalaber Court outside of naturally afraid of humans, but animal...

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