Alligator drags 2-year-old boy into lake at Disney resort in Orlando; dad tried to save him

ORLANDO -- An alligator attacked a 2-year-old boy and dragged him into a lake near Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the Orange County Sheriff's Office confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel.

The child was dragged into Seven Seas Lagoon around 9:30 p.m., a sheriff's office spokeswoman told the paper.

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said early Wednesday morning that rescue personnel had been actively searching for the child in the Seven Seas Lagoon but had not found him. The search was being called a recovery effort.

The 2-year-old was wading in the water along the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon around 9 p.m. ET when he was attacked, Orlando County Sheriff Jerry Demings said at a news conference.

The family of five, visiting from Nebraska, was relaxing near the water’s edge when witnesses said the boy was dragged into the lagoon by an alligator described as being anywhere from four to seven feet long, according to Demings.

“The father entered the water and tried to grab the child but was unsuccessful,” Demings said.

The mother and a nearby lifeguard also tried in vain to rescue the boy.

 

The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is an upscale luxury resort owned by Disney. It is one of three hotels on the monorail line, just one stop away from the Magic Kingdom Park.

This story is developing.