Global Courant
A 13-foot alligator was killed after it was spotted in Florida with the remains of a woman in its jaws, police said.
A witness told local media he saw the alligator in a Largo canal, with a lower body in its mouth.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said the animal had been killed and confirmed that the remains of 41-year-old Sabrina Peckham were found in the waterway.
An investigation will determine the circumstances behind the woman’s death.
Police said officers were called at 1.50pm local time on Friday to a report of a body in the waterway.
Jamarcus Bullard said he was on his way to a job interview when he saw the alligator with what initially appeared to be a mannequin in its mouth.
“I noticed it had a body in its mouth – like a lower body – so once I saw that I ran straight to the fire department,” he told local broadcaster Fox 13.
“It was my first time seeing an alligator in real life, so I thought it was pretty cool, but once I saw what it had, I thought, is that a mannequin?”
“It was pale and white.”
“He just got latched onto it and swam backwards to the bottom of the canal…I just couldn’t believe it was real,” he said in another interview with 10 Tampa Bay.
A fundraising page has reportedly been set up for Ms Peckham by her family, who said the woman was living in a homeless camp near a wooded area at the time of her death.
Breauna Dorris, who said she was the victim’s daughter, wrote on Facebook: “It is believed she was walking to or from her campsite near the creek in the dark and the alligator attacked from the water.
“No one deserves to die this way.”
Authorities said the alligator was humanely killed and removed from the waterway before a police dive team recovered Ms. Peckham’s remains.
News footage shows a huge alligator sprawled on the sidewalk, surrounded by police and emergency vehicles.
The medical examiner’s office has yet to determine the cause of death.
Local residents said they had seen small alligators in the area before, but not of the size of the animal found in this case.
Jennifer Dean told 10 Tampa Bay, “It’s crazy. My kids walk by there all the time. So it’s really scary. I’ve seen crocodiles from three to five feet, but nothing that big.”
Mr Bullard added: “I’m going to buy a bike or take the bus to work. They have little gates but someone has died.”
Authorities in Florida are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of Sabrina Peckham
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