2 Year Old Dragged into Water by Gator at Disney Resort

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe they haven't found the child yet. Are they using drones to look? Or just on foot/boat searches?

Sadly, the child was probably eaten and so there is nothing to find, short of killing any alligator they find and inspecting its stomach. The news said they'd already killed a few looking for evidence.

I'm not an animal before people kind of person but that's sad, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are signs in the Lake that says "no swimming"

Yup. And they're spaced pretty closely apart - like 20 feet? You can see 2 signs in this picture.

How hard would it have been to add "Alligators" to that list. Or say "stay out of water" instead of "no swimming." I've been to that beach and kids are regularly wading and splashing in the water with resort staff around and never seen any of them intervene to stop it. It is quite reasonable to assume based on that sign that "swimming" = swimming. Not wading.

Im a marketing person, and I could imagine myself wanting to post that sign. Gets the message across not to go into the water, but doesnt mention the unpleasant alligators. I could also see a HUGE fight w/legal re: not saying alligators on said sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
It's not about inability to draw simple conclusions. If you've ever been to the Grand Floridian (you haven't), you'd know that the "steep dropoff" does not begin until 6 to 10 feet away from the waterline (the distance varies). Lots of families are dipping their toes in the water on this beach, only going out about 1 to 2 feet from the waterline with the water only up to their ankle. When you see other families doing it without issue AND no Disney staff warning people away, the vast majority of people will conclude that it's safe to do so.

Most rational folks do not equate "swimming" with dipping their toes into the water. In fact, you can see where the drop-off begins pretty clearly during daylight hours.

Again, Disney did not clearly communicate that dangerous animals may exist on their property. I guarantee that none of these families would dip their toes in the water if the sign mentioned alligators.

I haven't been there (I've been to other parts of Florida and seen lots of gators) but I believe you that other families were doing it, possibly even in the dark at 9:30pm. If Disney knew or seriously worried that unsuspecting toddlers were in danger, they would have communicated that. The number of gators in Florida is increasing, and some of them come too close to people. It was a terrible tragic accident, and now Disney will take further steps, put up different signs, something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Disney knew there was a chance of gators being there and knew that, if they put a sign up warning of that, people would not want to stay there. I wouldn't.

Disney certainly knew there were gators, they regularly removed the bigger ones. Seriously, if you go to Florida, look around and you'll see them. They are everywhere.

Well there you have it. Disney knew or had reason to know about the risk and failed to adequately warn (steep drop off/no swimming is not an adequate warning when the risk is alligator attack. Child was in less than a foot of water according to the police). Negligence at best, criminal negligence at worst. Big settlement in the works here.

--lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are signs in the Lake that says "no swimming"

Yup. And they're spaced pretty closely apart - like 20 feet? You can see 2 signs in this picture.

How hard would it have been to add "Alligators" to that list. Or say "stay out of water" instead of "no swimming." I've been to that beach and kids are regularly wading and splashing in the water with resort staff around and never seen any of them intervene to stop it. It is quite reasonable to assume based on that sign that "swimming" = swimming. Not wading.

I don't know, because parents are supposed to be watching their kids? And the steep drop off is warning against wading, because both done by walking in.

I don't understand how some people can't draw simple conclusions by themselves.

It's not about inability to draw simple conclusions. If you've ever been to the Grand Floridian (you haven't), you'd know that the "steep dropoff" does not begin until 6 to 10 feet away from the waterline (the distance varies). Lots of families are dipping their toes in the water on this beach, only going out about 1 to 2 feet from the waterline with the water only up to their ankle. When you see other families doing it without issue AND no Disney staff warning people away, the vast majority of people will conclude that it's safe to do so.

Most rational folks do not equate "swimming" with dipping their toes into the water. In fact, you can see where the drop-off begins pretty clearly during daylight hours.

Again, Disney did not clearly communicate that dangerous animals may exist on their property. I guarantee that none of these families would dip their toes in the water if the sign mentioned alligators.

Seeing people break the rules (and these rules not being enforced) doesn't mean that you get to feign ignorance if you are the unlucky one who suffers as a result of said rule breaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Disney knew there was a chance of gators being there and knew that, if they put a sign up warning of that, people would not want to stay there. I wouldn't.

That's asinine.

Really? See the 12:17 post about marketing vs legal. That is what I am talking about.

"No swimming, steep drop off" does not say to me, "An alligator may come up and snatch your child if he is dipping his toes in the water 12" away from the sand."

[Anonymous]

1. A "no swimming" sign is not sufficient to cover the risks associated with alligator attacks. That child could have been killed simply walking near the edge of the water.

2. It's not reasonable to expect resort guests coming from Europe, Canada, or yes even Nebraska to know how prevelant alligators are, especially on Disney property where a beach has been set up.

3. Disney was grossly negligent and WILL pay up the a$$ including to this who just witnessed the attack. That's guaranteed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are signs in the Lake that says "no swimming"

Yup. And they're spaced pretty closely apart - like 20 feet? You can see 2 signs in this picture.

How hard would it have been to add "Alligators" to that list. Or say "stay out of water" instead of "no swimming." I've been to that beach and kids are regularly wading and splashing in the water with resort staff around and never seen any of them intervene to stop it. It is quite reasonable to assume based on that sign that "swimming" = swimming. Not wading.

I don't know, because parents are supposed to be watching their kids? And the steep drop off is warning against wading, because both done by walking in.

I don't understand how some people can't draw simple conclusions by themselves.

That area doesn't even look like a place you can wade. You don't know the child waded in that spot. You don't know the terrain where he was splashing.

Actually, the area where the child was wading (pics of tents here http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/06/15/13/354D82C300000578-3642167-The_child_had_been_paddling_with_his_parents_and_four_year_old_s-a-14_1465992068960.jpg) looks even more inhospitable than these nearby signs.

The parents made a grave mistake - very sad, and still pretty relateable. But the parents made a grave mistake. I feel for them - we all make mistakes, but clearly the parents let their guard down too much.

You must be a troll b/c your conclusions make no sense. Or maybe you do not understand how fast, and cunning gators actually are. Do you know the same thing could have happened with the family 20 yards away from the water?
If the family is not aware that there are dangerous animals in the area, then how could you hold them responsible. Your conclusion only works if the child died from drowning in deep water. Not what happened.

[Anonymous]

Good grief you're in Florida! Who wouldn't immediately think there "their might be gators in the water". Not to mention the signs up saying "stay out of the water", or that you were not in arms reach of your 2 y/o near WATER.

[Anonymous]

No one must have been that worried about that lake. Disney even offers water activities including tubing for children:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/bay-lake-tower-at-contemporary/recreation/

This is all the same beach/lake that the surrounding hotels are on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Disney knew there was a chance of gators being there and knew that, if they put a sign up warning of that, people would not want to stay there. I wouldn't.

+1000

Disney didn't want to ruin "the magic." It will be interesting to see what the discovery phase of a lawsuit turns up. I guarantee their are emails discussing alligators on the property, the proper signage, etc.
It will be morbidly fascinating to see how the Disney sausage is made.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Disney knew there was a chance of gators being there and knew that, if they put a sign up warning of that, people would not want to stay there. I wouldn't.

Disney certainly knew there were gators, they regularly removed the bigger ones. Seriously, if you go to Florida, look around and you'll see them. They are everywhere.

Well there you have it. Disney knew or had reason to know about the risk and failed to adequately warn (steep drop off/no swimming is not an adequate warning when the risk is alligator attack. Child was in less than a foot of water according to the police). Negligence at best, criminal negligence at worst. Big settlement in the works here.

--lawyer.

THIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disney should install electric shocking diodes in the water and every hour clear the beach to shock and kill anything in the water. It's disney damnit where everything is supposed to be pretend and safe.

And then once/hour have dead fish and snakes and turtles and alligators all bubbling up to the surface and floating on top of the water? That is so disturbing. A terrible mental image.

np. Well, to be fair, after a few hours, you wouldn't have that problem any longer.

Don't be so sure. Wildlife is often released in waters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think Disney knew there was a chance of gators being there and knew that, if they put a sign up warning of that, people would not want to stay there. I wouldn't.

That's asinine.

Really? See the 12:17 post about marketing vs legal. That is what I am talking about.

"No swimming, steep drop off" does not say to me, "An alligator may come up and snatch your child if he is dipping his toes in the water 12" away from the sand."

This!!!!! This poor family. This could easily happen to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good grief you're in Florida! Who wouldn't immediately think there "their might be gators in the water". Not to mention the signs up saying "stay out of the water", or that you were not in arms reach of your 2 y/o near WATER.

Let me catch you up:

PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD WHO ARE NOT FROM THE APPROXIMATELY 6 STATES WHERE ALLIGATORS ARE COMMON.