Florida Alligator Attack: Walt Disney World Resort To Put Gator Warning Signs After Death Of 2-Year-Old Boy

Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, will be installing alligator warning signs, the entertainment complex’s Vice President Jacquee Wahler said Thursday evening. The move comes a day after the body of a 2-year-old boy, who was dragged into the waters at the resort by an alligator, was found Wednesday.

“We have closed all of our beaches and have made a decision to add signage, and we are also conducting a swift and thorough review of all of our processes and protocols,” Wahler said, in a statement cited by the Associated Press.

The Nebraska toddler, Lane Graves, was vacationing with his family of five in Orlando. He was snatched away by an estimated 6-foot alligator Tuesday night when Graves was wading in shallow water at the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney’s Grand Floridian resort.

Officials said that Graves suffered a few puncture wounds, so he likely drowned. Five alligators were taken from the site and euthanized to rule out if any of them killed Graves.

The child’s parents, Matt and Melissa Graves, said Thursday that they were “devastated” by the death of their son.

“Words cannot describe the shock and grief our family is experiencing over the loss of our son. We are devastated and ask for privacy during this extremely difficult time. To all of the local authorities and staff who worked tirelessly these past 24 hours, we express our deepest gratitude,” they said in a statement.

According to estimates from Florida authorities, only about seven unprovoked American alligator bites annually need special medical treatment. However, the number of these attacks is increasing by about 3 percent annually.