The woman, who was pronounced dead on the scene, had left her house to walk her dogs around 7 a.m., according to deputies. Relatives went searching when her dogs returned home without her before finding the woman on the edge of a lagoon.
This incident was the second fatal alligator attack in Beaufort County in less than a year, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A photo of the lagoon where the woman was allegedly found unresponsive.
Six people have died in South Carolina from alligator attacks since 2000, the Department of Natural Resources said.
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American alligators are commonly found in coastal areas of South Carolina and can live in large river swamps, lakes, ponds and other bodies of water, according to theDepartment of South Carolina Natural Resources. They can live up to 60 years and grow to lengths greater than 13 feet.
The SCDNR noted that alligators, and particularly large ones, that live close to cities and residential areas, may “pose a threat” to humans. If they do pose a threat, they are deemed “nuisance alligators” and may be “removed” from the area or “destroyed.”
source: people.com
