The body of a 2-year-old boy who was dragged by an alligator into a Disney resort lake has been recovered, according to the Orange County Sheriff.
Sheriff Jerry Demings said a dive team found the body at about 1:45 p.m. ET, and he and a Catholic priest informed the family.
The sheriff said the body was recovered intact, not far from where it was pulled into the lake at about 9 p.m. Tuesday. There will be an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The announcement came at a quickly called news conference about two hours before the scheduled update.
He identified the parents as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, NE. The child's name was Lane Graves.
Nick Wiley, the executive director for Florida Fish and Wildlife, said the search continues to find the alligator that attacked the child. Searchers have already killed five alligators they discovered in the area, but they believe none of them are the one that grabbed the child.
Wiley earlier said Disney has been proactive in dealing with alligators and had a staff that regularly searched for and euthanized the animals found in areas where they might pose a threat.
The child was snatched away from his mother and father as they waded in a lake at the Grand Floridian Beach and Spa, a Disney World resort
The boy was with his family, standing in about a foot of water on the edge of the lake, when he was attacked. The child's father tried to grab him back from the gator but was unsuccessful, and suffered several minor injuries. The mother also rushed into the water before they called 911.
"The father has some sort of minor lacerations to his arm, so he was able to get over there fairly quickly," Williamson said.
A sign posted by the lake said "no swimming," and a lifeguard on duty was reportedly too far away to provide immediate aid, officials said. The reptile was between 4 and 7 feet, according to witnesses. There were no signs warning of alligators or prohibiting wading.
Florida Fish and Wildlife reported one other alligator bite happening in 2016 in a report last updated in April. It reported nine major bites happened in Florida in 2015, and nine major and one minor in 2014.
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