After fatal attack, theme parks weigh alligator warnings

A 2-year-old boy’s death from an alligator attack at a Walt Disney resort in Orlando, Florida, on June 14 has been deemed as noncriminal by officials.

Paul Santamaria was 8 years old when he was visiting Disney with his family.

Unfortunately, it’s with a heavy heart that we must report that Florida officials have reportedly found Lane Graves’ body about 18 hours he was first pulled under water.

CNN noted that Disney officials have revealed that the resort routinely removes alligators from the lake, but there are still instances where they can not control the reptiles from returning.

“All of our beaches are now closed and we are conducting a swift and thorough review of all of our processes and protocols“, according to Jacquee Wahler, Walt Disney World Resort Vice President.

The company says Walt Disney Co.

Disney’s wildlife management system has ensured “that their guests are not unduly exposed to the wildlife in this area”, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said during the search for the child.

Allison Taylor along with her family headed to the swimming pool at Disney’s Floridian Resort & Spa, where they were alerted that there is an alligator in the water.

A Disney spokeswoman said late on Wednesday the company will review the posting of its signs which ban swimming in Seven Seas Lagoon – but do not warn specifically of alligators.

An animal described as being as long as 7 feet snatched the little boy as he waded in shallow water around nightfall Tuesday.

“All of our beaches are now closed, and we are conducting a swift and thorough review of all of our processes and protocols“, Wahler said in a statement.

“We have a large property, and from time to time, we have to remove alligators from our property”, Wahler said “Nearly one-third of Walt Disney World property is set aside as a conservation area and these areas attract a variety of native wildlife”.

As word spread about the toddler’s death, friends and neighbors in the family’s hometown offered words of condolences and support.

“The father entered the water and tried to grab the child from the gator but was not successful”, he added.

Five alligators have been taken from the lake and euthanized, said Nick Wiley, the executive director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Our thoughts are with Lane’s family at this unimaginably hard time. Among them: How common are alligators in the lagoon where the attack happened? CEO Michael Iaccarino of Infogroup, a marketing company where Matt Graves is chief data officer, said Graves’ family “is the light of his life”.

Here’s what is being said about the tragedy and Disney’s potential liability.

No one was hurt, but after her experience, this week’s fatal alligator attack didn’t surprise her.

In a state with an estimated 1 million alligators, how should theme parks and other attractions warn visitors, and did Disney do enough?