Two-Year Old Snatched by Alligator at Disney World from Nebraska

[big red22]

Definitely prayers for the family. I can't imagine the pain they are feeling.

but..

I don't see why people seem to feel that Disney is liable here. The child was in the water in an area where it was clearly marked as a no swimming area. Rules were broken - and not by Disney.

Disney will probably offer some sort of compensation (can't really think of a good word) for the tragedy that occurred, but it's absurd that people think Disney is at fault here. The family is just as liable as anybody else.

Geezus!!!

Please stop with the who is at fault Bull S***!!! No one is at fault! NO ONE! Just like the boy who fell in the Gorilla pit, it is NO ONE's F***ING fault.

Here is where society blows. "Someone has to Pay for it". You know what, I can't imagine what those parents feel like right now, and I can guarantee it was not their intention to "Break the Rules" and let their child play in the water.

What people seem to forget is that we don't have "Eyes in the back of our head" and by no means would I ever blame a parent for their child's death unless that parent did the killing. Because these parents don't have a eye on their kids every second, does not make them at fault or bad parents.

Just stop! Disney isn't to blame, the Zoo isn't to Blame and for damn certain the F***ing parents aren't to blame. Kids test you at an early age, and it continues until they become adults. I can tell my son who is 8 years old to shower 15 damn times before he actually listens... Does that make me a bad parent? Nope.

"Don't play in the water son... Son don't play in the water.... Turn to my wife for a split second to say, Hunny, he isn't listening to me and BOOM alligator attacks. Now it is my fault because I didn't grab him at Disney, and wasn't thinking an alligator was in the water

This is a sad situation that only God know the reason why it happened. You can judge the parents, and you can judge Disney. In the end none of you know anything about the situation. For certain this is a tragedy that could not be stopped. They are accidents for a reason, because no one was wanting them to happen, but it still did

Disney will compensate this family, and I am certain they feel horribly for them. Doesn't mean they feel like they are at fault and are bribing them.

My prayers go out to this family, I can't imagine the feeling that father has right now!

 

[SC_'sker]

Virtually every public access fresh water lake in Florida (man made or natural) have scary gator warning signs. Why did Disney choose not to post those signs? Because "the happiest place on earth" shouldn't scare anyone. I have no doubt that if the father would have seen one of these signs his son would not have been anywhere near that water. I guarantee those signs will be posted now but unfortunately a 2 year old had to die first. Sometimes someone is at fault!

If that's the case and the local or state government puts signs out on the public access fresh water lakes then yeah I see that being a problem if Disney didn't have one.

I get it, it's Disney and that may give people a false sense of security. Hopefully people learn from this incident (companies and families) and this never happens again.

 

[SC_'sker]

Geezus!!!

Please stop with the who is at fault Bull S***!!! No one is at fault! NO ONE! Just like the boy who fell in the Gorilla pit, it is NO ONE's F***ING fault.

Here is where society blows. "Someone has to Pay for it". You know what, I can't imagine what those parents feel like right now, and I can guarantee it was not their intention to "Break the Rules" and let their child play in the water.

What people seem to forget is that we don't have "Eyes in the back of our head" and by no means would I ever blame a parent for their child's death unless that parent did the killing. Because these parents don't have a eye on their kids every second, does not make them at fault or bad parents.

Just stop! Disney isn't to blame, the Zoo isn't to Blame and for damn certain the F***ing parents aren't to blame. Kids test you at an early age, and it continues until they become adults. I can tell my son who is 8 years old to shower 15 damn times before he actually listens... Does that make me a bad parent? Nope.

"Don't play in the water son... Son don't play in the water.... Turn to my wife for a split second to say, Hunny, he isn't listening to me and BOOM alligator attacks. Now it is my fault because I didn't grab him at Disney, and wasn't thinking an alligator was in the water

This is a sad situation that only God know the reason why it happened. You can judge the parents, and you can judge Disney. In the end none of you know anything about the situation. For certain this is a tragedy that could not be stopped. They are accidents for a reason, because no one was wanting them to happen, but it still did

Disney will compensate this family, and I am certain they feel horribly for them. Doesn't mean they feel like they are at fault and are bribing them.

My prayers go out to this family, I can't imagine the feeling that father has right now!

The gator is at fault. A little early to be that sauced on a Wednesday, isn't it?

 

[swissticuffs]

Disney will get sued over this....and they will pay a fat settlement...although I'm not convinced this could have been prevented.

That lagoon is connected to multiple bodies of water via canals...as someone stated earlier it's not possible to keep these things out...they have been here in their current form for a million years and they will be here long after we are gone. They are in most every pond/canal in that area and are generally afraid of people but a 2 year old just doesn't stand a chance.

They should have had signage saying to stay away from water and explicitly mention alligators......I wouldn't even have a beach area.

 

[planored]

Yes and they gave name of child and parents. Confirmed from Elkhorn. Body was intact it is being reporte. Prayers to the family and friends, I can't imagine!

 

[red rover 70]

Prayers for the family

 

[newAD]

Yes and they gave name of child and parents. Confirmed from Elkhorn. Body was intact it is being reporte. Prayers to the family and friends, I can't imagine!

It's very likely the father's actions in trying to save his son, at least will allow him and his wife to bury their child and for the family to say goodbye. Small consolation but it beats the hell out of going home without him. Can't imagine the pain.

It'd be nice if Disney would charter them a private plane to get home.

 

[Kleitusbpn]

I got nothing. I graduated from mount michael (in elkhorn). Don't know these people, but regardless it hits home. prayers to them and their family.

 

[tpmcg]

so horrified and sad for this family...

 

[Ruiner1]

It's very likely the father's actions in trying to save his son, at least will allow him and his wife to bury their child and for the family to say goodbye. Small consolation but it beats the hell out of going home without him. Can't imagine the pain.

It'd be nice if Disney would charter them a private plane to get home.

 

[Charlie Marlow]

I got nothing. I graduated from mount michael (in elkhorn).

Interesting. What year?

 

[HuskerO]

As a father of a 2 year old boy this just breaks my heart.

 

[T...Chafes]

I have known the father for years, he was a two time state wrestling champ in high school. I know he could have taken on that gator with his bare hands, if anyone could. I can't imagine what he is going through. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family.

 

[Chiefs7772004]

I cant get over this. I dont know this family, but im deeply saddened as if this precious child was family. I cant help feeling this sense of depression. God bless this child and family.

 

[jteten]

This story makes me want to vomit. I could just see one of my little girls playing in that shallow water

Inside a disney resort in a man-made lagoon. This is horribly unfortunate, and it could happen to any parent/family....myself included.

 

[Razorhawk2]

I cant get over this. I dont know this family, but im deeply saddened as if this precious child was family. I cant help feeling this sense of depression. God bless this child and family.

I feel the same way, I truly feel this was avoidable if only the father knew of the danger.

 

[Hoosker Du]

I feel the same way, I truly feel this was avoidable if only the father knew of the danger.

I'm astonished that there weren't signs warning of alligators. It's not like all the visitors are from Florida and are aware that all bodies of fresh water have gators. Disney will pay a heavy price for it too. I'm sure the lawyers started lining up within moments of the attack.

 

[red rover 70]

I've been to Walt Disney World seven times and I would never fathom my child getting snatched by an alligator on property. Let alone at the beach area of a Deluxe Resort on Seven Seas Lagoon. Toddlers play in the sand at the shoreline with their parents. I did and my children did. I fell so sorry for the parents.

 

[anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi]

Geezus!!!

Please stop with the who is at fault Bull S***!!! No one is at fault! NO ONE! Just like the boy who fell in the Gorilla pit, it is NO ONE's F***ING fault.

Here is where society blows. "Someone has to Pay for it". You know what, I can't imagine what those parents feel like right now, and I can guarantee it was not their intention to "Break the Rules" and let their child play in the water.

What people seem to forget is that we don't have "Eyes in the back of our head" and by no means would I ever blame a parent for their child's death unless that parent did the killing. Because these parents don't have a eye on their kids every second, does not make them at fault or bad parents.

Just stop! Disney isn't to blame, the Zoo isn't to Blame and for damn certain the F***ing parents aren't to blame. Kids test you at an early age, and it continues until they become adults. I can tell my son who is 8 years old to shower 15 damn times before he actually listens... Does that make me a bad parent? Nope.

"Don't play in the water son... Son don't play in the water.... Turn to my wife for a split second to say, Hunny, he isn't listening to me and BOOM alligator attacks. Now it is my fault because I didn't grab him at Disney, and wasn't thinking an alligator was in the water

This is a sad situation that only God know the reason why it happened. You can judge the parents, and you can judge Disney. In the end none of you know anything about the situation. For certain this is a tragedy that could not be stopped. They are accidents for a reason, because no one was wanting them to happen, but it still did

Disney will compensate this family, and I am certain they feel horribly for them. Doesn't mean they feel like they are at fault and are bribing them.

My prayers go out to this family, I can't imagine the feeling that father has right now!

Out freaking standing

 

[red rover 70]

Geezus!!!

Please stop with the who is at fault Bull S***!!! No one is at fault! NO ONE! Just like the boy who fell in the Gorilla pit, it is NO ONE's F***ING fault.

Here is where society blows. "Someone has to Pay for it". You know what, I can't imagine what those parents feel like right now, and I can guarantee it was not their intention to "Break the Rules" and let their child play in the water.

What people seem to forget is that we don't have "Eyes in the back of our head" and by no means would I ever blame a parent for their child's death unless that parent did the killing. Because these parents don't have a eye on their kids every second, does not make them at fault or bad parents.

Just stop! Disney isn't to blame, the Zoo isn't to Blame and for damn certain the F***ing parents aren't to blame. Kids test you at an early age, and it continues until they become adults. I can tell my son who is 8 years old to shower 15 damn times before he actually listens... Does that make me a bad parent? Nope.

"Don't play in the water son... Son don't play in the water.... Turn to my wife for a split second to say, Hunny, he isn't listening to me and BOOM alligator attacks. Now it is my fault because I didn't grab him at Disney, and wasn't thinking an alligator was in the water

This is a sad situation that only God know the reason why it happened. You can judge the parents, and you can judge Disney. In the end none of you know anything about the situation. For certain this is a tragedy that could not be stopped. They are accidents for a reason, because no one was wanting them to happen, but it still did

Disney will compensate this family, and I am certain they feel horribly for them. Doesn't mean they feel like they are at fault and are bribing them.

My prayers go out to this family, I can't imagine the feeling that father has right now!

What the family was doing was completely fine. A toddler playing at the shoreline with a parent right there is standard parenting 101. Disney is at fault cause they should of had alligator warnings posted with the no swimming signs. But Disney isn't going to do that because you would have no family activities at all in or around any body of water that isn't a pool at the Disney property. I was on the all ears website last night and they had multiple links about activities like boating, parasailing and tubing on the Seven Seas Lagoon. You had to look hard for any references to "no swimming".

 

[red rover 70]

How you can parasail on a body of water without "swimming" is beyond me.

http://allears.net/btp/parasail.htm

 

[TheBeav815]

Feel just wretched for those people. This is the kind of thing that shatters people and families. You bet that lagoon is no longer going to exist in that form by this time next year. To encourage anyone to get down near a body of fresh water in the southeast is reckless. If you can't see every square inch of water, you have to assume there are gators.

Florida also has confirmed Nile crocs.

 

[red rover 70]

How you can parasail on a body of water without "swimming" is beyond me.

http://allears.net/btp/parasail.htm

 

[huskerbux]

I'm astonished that there weren't signs warning of alligators. It's not like all the visitors are from Florida and are aware that all bodies of fresh water have gators. Disney will pay a heavy price for it too. I'm sure the lawyers started lining up within moments of the attack.

I'm not from the mountains but I don't need a sign to warn me that wild animals could attack me at any time. I'm not from the Southwest but I don't need signs to warn me of huge populations of rattlers, scorpions and other things that could bite me and cause serious injury or death. I'm not from a coastal area but I don't need a sign to tell me sharks, jellyfish, sting rays etc could attack/bite and cause serious injury or death.
And even before I lived in Florida I didn't need a sign to tell me Gators are fresh water reptiles and do live everywhere and feed at night!

Can't re-iterate this enough....its gut-wrenching this happened and as a father I would be crushed if this happened to my family. Pray and grieve for the family but stop looking for blame.

 

[hddude55]

A man-made beach adjoining an alligator infested pond is just plain stupid. Having no signs warning of the presence of alligators is also plain stupid. Disney will pay. Anyone comparing this family's activity to surfing in the shark infested ocean or taking hikes in the poisonous snake infested Arizona desert is clueless. We understand when we surf that we are entering the food chain. We understand that rattlesnake bites are a real risk on an Arizona hike. We don't expect to be eaten on a Disney man-made beach -- and whether the baby was wading or merely on the beach is irrelevant. He was in danger just being on that beach and his parents had no reason to think that.

 

[ThePowerOfRed]

I'm not from the mountains but I don't need a sign to warn me that wild animals could attack me at any time. I'm not from the Southwest but I don't need signs to warn me of huge populations of rattlers, scorpions and other things that could bite me and cause serious injury or death. I'm not from a coastal area but I don't need a sign to tell me sharks, jellyfish, sting rays etc could attack/bite and cause serious injury or death.
And even before I lived in Florida I didn't need a sign to tell me Gators are fresh water reptiles and do live everywhere and feed at night!

Can't re-iterate this enough....its gut-wrenching this happened and as a father I would be crushed if this happened to my family. Pray and grieve for the family but stop looking for blame.

Get a clue, Disney encourages use of this beach, encourages use of the lagoon and by doing so creates a false sense of security for its guests. Without the proper warnings there is liability.

Read this..
http://www.scarymommy.com/boy-attacked-by-alligator-disney-resort/

How is it that so many of the guests would allow there children to do the very thing that lost this child his life, yet it should be common sense to stay away, as you insinuate?

I'm not calling for Disney's head, but I think you have to be a special kind of a-hole to suggest these parents were or should have been aware of the danger in this situation.

 

[NorthWillRiseAgain]

Aren't most of you the same ones saying gun free zone signs are stupid? But now the signs telling people there are alligators in Florida will be a big deterrent? It's common sense that needs to be used, having a kid by Florida waters, at night, is never a decent idea.

With that, I say lapses in judgment happen, and 99% of the time nothing will happen. You can't just blame Disney because they don't have secret service following everyone to make sure you are being safe.

 

[ThePowerOfRed]

Aren't most of you the same ones saying gun free zone signs are stupid? But now the signs telling people there are alligators in Florida will be a big deterrent? It's common sense that needs to be used, having a kid by Florida waters, at night, is never a decent idea.

With that, I say lapses in judgment happen, and 99% of the time nothing will happen. You can't just blame Disney because they don't have secret service following everyone to make sure you are being safe.

Again if it is common sense then why encourage the use of the beach during night hours?

 

[TheBeav815]

Aren't most of you the same ones saying gun free zone signs are stupid? But now the signs telling people there are alligators in Florida will be a big deterrent? It's common sense that needs to be used, having a kid by Florida waters, at night, is never a decent idea.

With that, I say lapses in judgment happen, and 99% of the time nothing will happen. You can't just blame Disney because they don't have secret service following everyone to make sure you are being safe.

Can't say I follow the parallel you're trying to draw there.

The more I look at it, the more I think I'd have assumed the waters were isolated and thus safe. If they're advertising and encouraging people to do activities on and near that water, I would have thought, "Well I guess they have this under control...I mean it's Disney World."

You can't have that setup and not eliminate the change for gators to get in. Absolutely cannot.

 

[sparky62]

To bad this thread has also turned into a pissing match.

 

[TheBeav815]

The phrase "Common sense" should disappear. No such thing.

 

[rrthusker]

To bad this thread has also turned into a pissing match.

Far too many in this thread feel the need to be right rather than showing compassion for this family. I really can't believe the heartlessness of some.