On Tuesday, a woman from South Carolina died after an alligator attacked her. In the early morning of the Fourth of July, Holly Jenkins, 69, left her Spanish Wells residence in Hilton Head to take her dog for a walk.
When the dog returned home unaccompanied, her family became worried and began to search for her. At around 9:30 a.m., a family member observed Jenkins’ unconscious body on the edge of a lagoon and dialed emergency services. When the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office arrived, they encountered difficulty due to the presence of an aggressive gator. After the gator was removed, Jenkins’ body was retrieved.
The alligator was 9 feet, 9 inches long, and euthanized by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. An autopsy will be conducted tomorrow.
This is the second time a tragic alligator attack has occurred in the same area within twelve months. Last August, an 88-year-old female was attacked and killed by a gator in a lake close to her residence.
Although alligator attacks are still considered rare. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has reported only six deaths due to alligators from 2000 to today. Furthermore, there have only been 24 encounters resulting in injury over that same period. Jay Butfiloski, the alligator program coordinator with the SCDNR, stated that these attacks are increasing due to the growth of developments in the habitats of alligators. Additionally, he warned of the risk of being attacked when walking near these bodies of water with pets.