At approximately 9:30 this morning, Sheriff's Office deputies,Hilton Head Island Fire Rescue and Sea Pines Security personnel responded to a lagoon off of Wood Duck Road in Sea Pines Plantation to a report of an alligator attacking a woman inside of a lagoon. When they arrived, fire personnel located the deceased woman inside of the lagoon and recovered her body, while deputies interviewed witnesses. Witness accounts indicate that the woman—who will be identified after her next of kin are notified—was walking her dog near the lagoon when she was attacked and pulled underwater by the alligator. The Sheriff's Office Environmental Crimes Unit, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and Sea Pines Security were on-scene searching for the alligator—reported to be approximately 8 feet in length. Beaufort County Coroner Edward Allen scheduled an autopsy to be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina to determine the cause of the woman's death. The deceased woman's dog did not appear to be harmed during the incident. “They were able to get her out of the water and she was still alive, but she died at the scene," according to David Lucas of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. It appears the gator meant to get the dog but Cline was protecting her pet when the gator latched on to the leash playing a type of tug-0-war and pulled Cline into the water. The dog is in good condition.
Beaufort County Coroner Edward Allen identified the deceased woman in this morning's Sea Pines alligator attack as 45-year-old Cassandra Cline of Hilton Head Island. An alligator—believed responsible for the attack—was located and dispatched at the scene. Questions regarding the disposition of the alligator should referred to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.
This happened in Florida...watch!