41-year-old woman found dead after Florida alligator is spotted with a body in its mouth
“I could tell there was a body in his mouth, so I started recording,” one witness said.
An alligator floats in a pond during the second round of the Honda Classic golf tournament, Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
(CNN) — Florida authorities have identified the woman found dead after an alligator was seen with a body in its mouth.
Authorities responded to a call in Largo, in the Tampa Bay area, about a gator in the water about 1:50 p.m. on Friday.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday identified the victim as Sabrina Peckham, 41.
A witness, JaMarcus Bullard, told CNN affiliate Spectrum News 13 that he earlier saw an alligator with a body in its mouth.
“I could tell there was a body in his mouth, so I started recording,” Bullard said.
Officials humanely killed the 13-foot, 8.5-inch male, according to the sheriff’s office and Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Alligators have been spotted in the area before, but resident Jennifer Dean told Spectrum News 13 that she had never seen one this large.
“A lot of my neighbors were out here and they’re the ones that told me about the gator,” Dean said. “While we were standing here we heard a shot. I assume they killed the gator.”
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