[houseoftechno]

Local Press Article:

FWC: Davenport woman was killed by alligator as her husband tried to intervene
A 61-year-old Davenport woman was killed while canoeing near the mouth of Tiger Creek on Lake Kissimmee about 4 p.m. May 6, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC Maj. Evan Laskowski said Cynthia Diekema was killed after the canoe she was riding in with her husband passed over an alligator hidden beneath them in roughly 2.5 feet of water.

"This is not believed to be a predatory incident, but simply a defense incident where they came upon the alligator beneath the water's edge and when the canoe struck it, it caused a reaction," Laskowski said during a news conference May 7 in Tampa.

The couple headed out on a 14-foot canoe into Lake Kissimmee, which has the second highest population of alligators in the state with more than 16,000, according to a 2024 census from FWC. It's second only to Lake Okeechobee.

According to Laskowski, Diekema was sitting in the bow of the canoe, when the alligator thrashed and tipped the boat over. The couple were sent into the water. "She ended up on top of the alligator in the water and was bitten," Laskowski said. "Her husband attempted to intervene was but unsuccessful."

A Computer-Aided Dispatch report obtained by The Ledger from Polk County Sheriff's Office shows FWC reached out for assistance at 4:05 p.m. FWC requested a unit and emergency medically personnel to the site for potentially two alligator victims.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office had received a call at 3:59 p.m. reporting, "man advised his wife had been killed by an alligator," according to the CAD report. Not much other information was immediately available to Polk deputies.

At 4:35 p.m., the husband reported "he last saw vic[tim] in the gator's mouth before she disappeared," according to the CAD report. Responders at the scene had air support and later brought drones into the area helping search for Diekema.

At 5:04 p.m., Polk deputies in a helicopter spotted Diekema from the air and reported the gator still had her in its mouth.

"The gator actively has the victim," reads the dispatch report at 5:05 p.m.

Moments later, FWC officials were able to recover Diekema's body from the water as the alligator slipped back under.

There is still an active investigation into the fatal attack, according to FWC officials.

FWC officials said they contracted a trapper who has captured two alligators in the area off Lake Kissimmee since the attack.

Laskowski said the first gator was 11-foot, 4-inches long and matched the description of the alligator that attacked the couple. A second alligator measuring 10 to 11 feet in length was also captured and killed.

FWC agents working with trappers remained near the scene of the attack watching for alligators in the size range of concern on the afternoon of May 7.

There have been 487 unprovoked alligator bites on people between 1984 and 2024, according to the FWC. Of those, 339 were major bites and 27 were fatal.

"Alligator attacks resulting in fatalities are extremely rare," FWC Executive Director Roger Young said at the May 7 news conference in Tampa. "This tragedy serves as a somber reminder that they share our natural spaces."

The last fatal attack occurred in 2023 while a woman was walking her dog along the edge of a retention pond in St. Lucie County. The alligator was 10 feet long.

https://www.theledger.com/story/news...e/83491615007/

Pic of victim and husband in their vessel of death.

[houseoftechno]

I've paddled near surfaced gators plenty, but haven't thought about the risk of startling a submerged gator and getting tipped out.

Like humans, gators only clearly see what's above the water. So once you are in the water, all the gator sees is your head bobbing just above the surface and, oh my, that is a perfect meal for a large gator.

[kellyhound]

That's why i hate canoes. They tend to tip over easily.

[HIGHTECHDUDE]

"On DATELINE tonight, everything seemed rosy until he took her canoeing in alligator infested waters..."

[houseoftechno]

Originally Posted by kellyhound ↗

That's why i hate canoes. They tend to tip over easily.

Sitting up on the seats (like in their pic) is so tippy. Canoes rigged whitewater style (kneepads and thighstraps on floor) are super stable.

For speed I use a sea kayak (very tippy) for flatwater paddling, but I should really rethink that choice for gator country.

[houseoftechno]

Originally Posted by HIGHTECHDUDE ↗

"On DATELINE tonight, everything seemed rosy until he took her canoeing in alligator infested waters..."

Hubby was in the Captain's position in the stern. He had control of the boat.

[CharlotteWatson]

All alligator attacks and fatalities are due to human ignorance & error.

[mcpronoun]

Gators are some fine eating but the bigger ones are tough and gamey like trying to chew a leather belt that tastes like chicken
4 to 5 feet are best.

[ThoughtOasis]

Originally Posted by CharlotteWatson ↗

All alligator attacks and fatalities are due to human ignorance & error.

I wonder if animals have a similar saying, "All human attacks and fatalities are due to animal ignorance and error"?

To be serious, I never knew how widespread their habitats were. A game warden told me in nearly all southern states, every large body of water/stream will have alligators (and possibly smaller bodies/streams).
A lot of people 'tube (float down river on inner tube) down a large river in my area... not even thinking of doing that now.

[houseoftechno]

I have done a bit of paddling in FL water and never found a gator that didn't fear me in a kayak. The more remote, the more extreme their panic to get away from me. I wouldn't tube though.