On Wednesday afternoon, authorities recovered what they believe is the body of a 2-year-old Nebraska boy who was dragged away by an alligator the night before, ABC 7 reports.
The body was recovered, completely intact, by a dive team around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, a little less than two hours after it was first located. The body was found about 10-15 yards offshore and about 6 feet underwater.
Orange County, Fla., Sheriff Jerry Demings identified the child as Lane Graves and his parents as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, Neb. An autopsy will confirm the official cause of death, but authorities said that it seemed as if the boy had been drowned by the alligator.
“As a parent and a grandparent, my heart goes out to the Graves family during this time of devastating loss. My thoughts and prayers are with them, and I know everyone at Disney joins me in offering our deepest sympathies,” Robert A. Iger, Disney chairman and CEO, said in a statement, according to ABC7.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials captured five alligators that will be euthanized and examined to determine which, if any, attacked the boy.
“We’re either going to verify that we already captured that alligator through forensics work, or we’re going to continue to look for an alligator until we find the right one,” Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner Nick Wiley said.
Read more at ABC7.