The family of an 85-year-old South Florida grandma killed by a 10-foot alligator has sued the Fort Pierce senior living community where the attack happened, charging that management could have prevented the “sad and unnecessary loss.”
Gloria Serge was walking her dog Trooper along a retention pond on Feb. 20, 2023, when the large alligator emerged from the water and attacked her beloved pet. When Serge tried to rescue the dog the gator turned its attention to her, mauling her and dragging her into the pond.
The terrifying attack was captured on camera.
Caution: Disturbing content
Family of Woman Dragged to Death by Alligator Files Lawsuit Against Retirement Community
The family of Gloria Serge, 85, who lost her life last year in February while walking her dog after being attacked by an alligator, has filed a lawsuit against the Spanish Lakes Fairways… pic.twitter.com/eG65KefwKd
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) January 26, 2024
A trapper hired by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission would capture and kill the alligator after the fatal attack.
Attorneys for the family claim the Wynne Building Corp. is to blame for her death because they were allegedly aware of the lurking predator, according to NBC South Florida.
Spanish Lakes Fairways retirement community should have removed the gator, the attorneys said after noting that the large reptile was so familiar that neighbors had named it “Henry” and that residents and staffers increased the risk of an attack by feeding the gator regularly.
“Amazingly, Spanish Lakes actually posted no warnings about the existence of these dangerous alligators they knew about,” attorney Gary Lesser said. “There were no warnings to its residents in the weekly newsletters that Spanish Lakes sent to its residents.”
Lesser also claimed Serge was “forced” to walk her dog by the retention pond.
“Spanish Lakes is one of these communities that has a rule – you can’t walk your dog in the streets of your community,” he said. “In fact, Gloria was given a violation and eviction warning for walking her small dog in the front yard of her house.”
Her son, Bill Serge, spoke at Thursday’s press conference about the loss of his mother, who is survived by five children, 15 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.
“I never could have imagined the agonizing way in which my mom spent the final moments of her life,” he said. “This should never have happened.”
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Tom Tillison grew up in Maryland before moving to Central Florida as a young teen. It is in the Sunshine State that he honed both his passion for politics and his writing skills. Tillison also contributes to BizPac Review.
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