Sabrina Peckham, aged 41, was discovered in the alligator's jaws after being dragged into a canal in Largo, Clearwater, on Friday. The exact cause of death is yet to be determined by the coroner.
Breauna Dorris, Peckham's daughter, has stepped forward to defend her mother, suggesting that the alligator likely attacked her while she was walking to her homeless camp in the darkness.
Dorris wrote in a Facebook post.
'My mother was a part of the homeless population that lived in the nearby wooded area. It is believed that she may have been walking to or from her camp site near the creek in the dark and the alligator attacked from the water.
'My mother, Sabrina Peckham, was the victim of the alligator attack at McCay Creek (rainbow village). Please understand that we do not have all the information yet as the medical examiners report is not yet finished."
'Some details I would like to share are that my mother did not 'taunt' the alligator, as some are saying in the comments of the news outlets. We expected to have many, many more years with her. Unfortunately, god has called her home sooner than our hearts were ready.' 'The past 24 hours have been filled with grief, sorrow and unbearable pain for our family.'
'To my mother: I love you more than I ever expressed, I miss you more than you'll ever know, and I pray that you are looking down on me and your grandchildren. 'Please protect us. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I pray you are at peace and are no longer struggling or hurting. I pray you found momo and pop and you all are watching down from above.'
Two Months Before The Attack
It has come to light that two months prior to her unfortunate demise, Peckham was arrested on July 14 for trespassing on a county wetland located just half a mile away from the site of the alligator attack, as reported by WFLA. As a result of that incident, she was required to pay a fine of $500.
Despite the warning signs placed in the area, Peckham allegedly disregarded them and entered the wetland. On September 8, she entered a plea of no contest to the misdemeanor charge.
This was not the first instance of Peckham being apprehended for trespassing, as records indicate she had multiple misdemeanors dating back to 2014. Additionally, she had previous convictions for theft and had encountered law enforcement on several occasions.
How She was Found
While driving to a job interview, a resident from the local area was the first to witness the horrifying incident and immediately contacted the Largo Fire Department for assistance. Shortly afterward, several other local residents also witnessed the gruesome scene as the alligator dragged its victim away, with some individuals even recording the distressing event.
Emergency responders, along with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, worked together to extract the alligator from the water. Eventually, they were able to shoot and kill the alligator, with officials describing the action as a humane response following the horrific attack.
According to Jennifer Dean, a resident who lived in close proximity to the incident, many of her neighbors were present at the scene and informed her about the alligator. "While we were gathered here, we heard a gunshot, presumably indicating that they had killed the alligator," Jennifer Dean stated.
Following the alligator's death, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office was able to recover the body of the victim from the water. The autopsy findings are yet to be reported.
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