Alligator Emerges from Water, Suddenly Drags 85-Year-Old Woman Under and Kills Her

An 85-year-old woman was killed Monday in a Florida retirement community when an alligator attacked her as she walked her dog.

Gloria Serge was walking her dog near a retention pond in Spanish Lakes Fairways, which is located in Fort Pierce, according to WPBF-TV.

An alligator emerged and dragged her away under the water, according to CBS.

700-pound alligator kills Florida woman, 85, who tried to save dog from attack https://t.co/zx1tGfCscr pic.twitter.com/7OhSJCKYlY

— New York Post (@nypost) February 21, 2023

Neighbor Carol Thomas said she tried to help, according to TC Palm.

“I saw her and I saw the gator grab her, and I saw him take her under and I ran out and called 911,” Thomas said.

A neighbor says she watched as an alligator grabbed her neighbor by the leg and it pulled her into this lake at Spanish Lakes Fairways. She tried to save her but she was unable to do so.
The victim is identified as Gloria Serge, 85, of Ft. Pierce. @CBS12 pic.twitter.com/GVKRUUvNfB

— Al Pefley (@PefleyAlCBS12) February 21, 2023

“I asked her to swim toward the paddle boat (nearby) … and she said ‘I can’t. The gator has me,’” said Thomas, adding that she ran to get a hook to fight off the alligator.

“When I came back, she was no longer visible and never did surface again until a bit later when the cops were here,” Thomas continued.

So sad

Alligator kills 85-year-old woman in Florida https://t.co/loem7OrBEU

— Leasa Fisher (@lfishgirl67) February 22, 2023

According to WPEC-TV, witnesses said the alligator first tried to attack the dog, but the woman attempted to fight it off, leading the alligator to bite her. The dog survived.

Serge’s body was later recovered.

The alligator involved in the attack was later trapped and killed. It was estimated to be about 10 feet long and weigh between 600 and 700 pounds, according to WESH-TV.

“[The gator] fought pretty good. Definitely fought pretty good,” alligator trapper Robert Lilly said. “Snagged him on the bottom. He never surfaced. He stayed down the whole time. Got a second hook in him and then a hard line in him so we could get him up.”

Neighbors in the retirement community say alligators are not uncommon, according to WPEC-TV.

“We count them, we stop and take pictures, as long as you don’t go near them. They move around at night, you’ll see them walking from pond to pond. We just have to be vigilant and watch out for them,” resident Bill Large said.

Neighbor Charles Hermann, 80, said the alligators he sees are “usually not doing anything,” according to TC Palm.

“They just lay in the sun and so you wouldn’t expect it,” he said.