"She was walking her little dog, and the gator grabbed the dog," the neighbor added. / CBS News. Developer Charles Fraser founded both the Sea Pines and Kiawah Island resort communities, which were built on the concept that communities could be developed while the wildlife preserved. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near the pond and slipped in. First responders were then able to pull the womans body from the water. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? And you know, she's been alone. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. First published on August 15, 2022 / 7:30 PM. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near a pond in Sun City Hilton Head, an adult-only community, and slipped in, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office and the Department of Natural Resources. "I see her," the neighbor said with audible emotion in her voice. Market data provided by Factset. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A man was killed on Friday after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach, S.C., the first such deadly attack in the state since 2020, the authorities 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. However, at 5:46 p.m., the HCPD released a statement that the Environmental Services and Criminal Investigations Divisions were working on a death investigation. Covert, of Johns Island, made no sound as the alligator pulled her under, the woman told police. Got a tip for a story? She kept yelling as Covert crept closer to the gator. The unnamed victim was found last Friday around 11:45 a.m. near Excalaber Court outside of . The area in the Outer Banks is a favorite hangout spot for great white sharks, apparently. Deputies in South Carolina shot and killed an alligator that fatally attacked a woman on Friday, authorities said. When it gets really hot in the summer, a lot of time theyll spend time below the water, where its cooler.. In South Carolina, they can be found in the states coastal marshlands, according to the Department of Natural Resources. 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. June 25, 2022 / 2:26 PM / CBS News. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Officials identified the woman as Nancy A. Becker, a resident of Sun City Hilton Head, who they believe was gardening near the pond and slipped into the water, where she was attacked by the alligator. In 2020, an alligator killed 58-year-old Cynthia Covert in a Kiawah Island, South Carolina attack, marking the third fatal alligator attack in state history since 2016. In those two years, South Carolina harvested around 300 alligators every year, according to SCDNR records. Treat your dog like you would treat your child.. Weeks earlier, Florida police found a deceased 47-year-old man in agator-infested lakemissing three limbs after a likely encounter with alligators. This same shark off the coast of the Outer Banks began its tracking in . In an interview on Sunday, Mr. Repak said it was common to watch alligators walk on a road over a pair of retention ponds. 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 . A woman who was attacked by an alligator Thursday on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina was rescued by a neighbor who hit the animal with a shovel, authorities said. Firefighters used poles to get Covert out of the pond but she died at the hospital, authorities said. If an alligator attacks, experts say to poke at its eyes and punch and kick it around the head. Got something youd like to say in response to one of our articles? Alligator attacks are rare but not surprising, Major Viens said of the area. 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. Nancy Becker, 88, was gardening at her living community when she slipped and fell into a lagoon that was home to an alligator. Don't turn and run, expert warns. 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. Write to Gina Martinez at gina.martinez@time.com. 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 . When deputies arrived, the alligator kept surfacing with Covert and going under. by Mandy Matney May 4, 2020. The deadly attack, in a gated community near Hilton Head Island, S.C., was at least the fourth in the country this year. 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). 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. She was a good friend to a lot of people in the park.". Police were notified around 11 . Despite what seems to be increasing frequency, Mazzotti says attacks are still remarkably rare, considering the number of alligators in southeastern U.S. An 88-year-old woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, officials said. As of August, there were 23 total alligator attacks since 1915, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. When officers arrived, they found a large alligator by the edge of a pond near the body of an unidentified woman, police said. You try to maintain distance from the banks, and when you see them out, you admire them from afar. She stated her husband tried to save her friend, but the alligator dragged her under the water, the report said. Anyone can read what you share. "With how many people there are and how many alligators there are, it's really surprising it doesn't happen more often,"Frank Mazzotti, professor of wildlife ecology and member of the "Croc Docs" at the University of Florida, told USA TODAY. The officers were called to a pond on Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. and saw. 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. In 1962, Fraser walked alongside an alligator named Albert for a magazine photoshoot that attracted attention from around the world. A deputy had to shoot and kill the alligator to get Covert away from the animal, according to the police report released Monday. In many instances, there are several of factors that contribute to an alligator attack. 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. 1 Dead in Fatal Alligator Attack at South Carolina Retention Pond Near Myrtle Beach. "Splashing in the water will attract analligators interest, and if it perceives at that point in time that there's something smaller and weaker in the water, it might attack it," Mazzoti said. Because theyre cold blooded animals, they regulate their body temperature as best they can based on the environment, he said. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter:@jordan_mendoza5. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. A South Carolina woman was rescued by a neighbor Thursday morning during a violent alligator attack in the state, authorities said. Experts explain why. This dental device was sold to fix patients' jaws. 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. 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 . ': Hot, hungry alligators are taking lonely strolls in Florida. People building homes where alligators live have caused the increase in attacks, Mazzotti, a wildlife expert with the University of Floridas Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, tells TIME. 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. Then, the gator bit his leg. ", RELATED VIDEO: Officials Say Shark Attacked Woman Who Vanished While Snorkeling with Husband, Blast 'Conspiracy Theories'. Alligator attacks are rare, and there's an even slimmer chance of being killed by one. She stated her husband went down and grabbed a shovel and she called 911,the report said. 1:39 A person in South Carolina was killed by an alligator Friday near a community retention pond outside Myrtle Beach, authorities said. Associate Editor, Human Interest - PEOPLE. "Anywhere there is standing water, an alligator might be found," The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a statement to USA TODAY. This marks the fifth alligator death in South Carolina since 2000, according to the Department of Natural Resources and the sheriff's office. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources is investigating the incident, the latest in a small string of fatal alligator attacks this summer. A South Carolina woman was attacked by an eight-foot-long alligator while walking her dog on Thursday morning. The woman found dead in an alligator attack in Sun City Hilton Head on Monday has been identified as an 88-year-old resident of the community, according to the Beaufort County Coroner's Office . 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. . One person has been killed in a fatal alligator attack in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The witness told police that her friend, later identified as 58-year-old Cynthia Covert, of Johns Island, was visiting her home Friday afternoon. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 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 . Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. After the attack, the FWC said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE that the alligator was captured and killed by a contracted nuisance alligator trapper. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City . The alligator took hold of a person near the edge of a retention pond on Friday,. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, Why Deadly Alligator Attacks Like South Carolina Are a Growing Trend. Lawsuits claim it wrecked their teeth. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office is investigating an alligator attack that left one person dead in Sun City. Don't turn and run, expert warns, according toThe National Wildlife Federation. Nationally, between 1948 and August 2004, 376 injuries and 15 deaths as a result of alligator encounters were reported in the U.S., which means one reported death every three to four years,according to a 2004 studyin the peer-revieWilderness & Environmental Medicine journal. The victim was identified as 88-year-old Nancy Becker, ABC News reports. It was no walk in the park for a South Carolina man who saved his dog from an alligator attack during a morning stroll. Covert never screamed during the deadly attack, the woman told police. Initially, the Horry County Fire Rescue was dispatched at 11:54 a.m. to a water-related call in the area of Excalibur Court in Myrtle Beach, a statement from the department said. Alligators are mostly concentrated in Florida and Louisiana but are present in several other states. "It's too late," the neighbor said. Leanne Golino. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. May 5, 2020 / 6:24 AM / CBS/AP. The Horry County Fire Rescue Department told ABC News it had no further information as of Monday 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 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. Mazzoti added alligators "don't perceive humans as either a threat or as food.". Alligator attacks in South Carolina have increased, likely because of human activities. Last summer, a 68-year-old woman was hospitalized after an alligator attack in Sun City-Hilton Head, the Island Packet repotted. Legal Statement. A woman was killed in an apparent alligator attack in South Carolina on Monday, police said. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, according to the Charleston County Sheriffs Office. Charleston County deputies said that officers were called to a . ABC News' Darren Reynolds contributed to this report. A person in South Carolina was killed after being dragged into a retention pond by an alligator near Myrtle Beach on Friday, authorities said. Theyre a part of nature., He called Fridays death a tragic, freak accident.. CNN A person was killed by an alligator near Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, according to police. The Charleston County Sheriffs Office responded to the incident on Salt Cedar Lane, Kiawah Island around 5 p.m. Friday. Early in the year, when water is cooler, its common to see them on the banks sunning themselves. "Our hearts go out to the family and community members impacted by this tragic incident," a statement from police said. 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. It appears the victim, Nancy Becker, was gardening near a pond in Sun City . Before those attacks, South Carolina had never recorded a person killed by an alligator. The victim was recovered from the pond, and the alligator was removed and euthanized on site. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. 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 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 person died after an alligator dragged them into a pond in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, police said Friday. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. At least four people have been killed in alligator attacks in 2022. Alligator attacks are rare, and there's an even slimmer chance of being killed by one. By Christian Boschult christian.boschult@myhorrynews.com Jul 15, 2022 0 Alligators like this one. On Monday morning police responded to a report of an alligator attack at a pond inside the Sun City gated community, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook. 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. 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