Elderly Florida Woman Killed by 2 Alligators After Falling into a Pond Near Her Home

Shafiq Najib
·2 min read
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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 08: An aligator basks in the sun on the 18th hole during the practice round prior to THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 08, 2022 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 08: An aligator basks in the sun on the 18th hole during the practice round prior to THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on March 08, 2022 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

David Cannon/Getty

An elderly woman lost her life on Friday after being attacked by two alligators when she fell into a pond near her home in Englewood, Florida, officials said.

The woman "struggled to stay afloat" after she was seen falling into water at the Boca Royale Golf and Country Club, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, CBS News reported.

"While in the water two alligators were observed near the victim and ultimately grabbed her while in the water," deputies said, per ABC News.

The woman was pronounced dead at the scene and a death investigation was launched at the golf course following the incident.

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alligator
alligator

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On Monday, the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office issued a statement to PEOPLE, sharing the woman was identified as Rose Wiegand, born on August 9, 1941.

Wiegand "was pulling weeds from the water side of a retaining wall" before "the caller heard a scream and observed Wiegand fall into the water," the statement read. "The caller then entered the water and swam to her location, but was unable to locate the victim as the alligators had pulled her beneath the water."

"Over the weekend, the Medical Examiner ruled the death of Ms. Wiegand as a result of the alligator attack," the statement added.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Doug Foote, the general manager of the Boca Royale Golf & Country Club, said, "This is a tragic situation, and we are deeply saddened that it happened. Our hearts go out to the family members and friends affected by this loss, and we offer our deepest condolences."

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He added: "There is an ongoing investigation into details of what happened, and we are working with authorities to provide any information we have."

Officials said that the alligators have since been removed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, according to ABC News.

One of the alligators was eight feet, 10 inches long, while the other was seven feet, seven inches long, the agency said, per the outlet.

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In a statement, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it is still unknown, however, if the specific alligators were the ones involved in the fatal incident. They added that there are currently no plans to remove any additional alligators from the area at this time.

"The FWC and Sarasota County Sheriff's Office will be working jointly on this investigation until cause of death is determined by the Sarasota County Medical Examiner's Office," the agency said, per ABC News.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.