The family of an 85-year-old woman who tragically lost her life in an alligator attack at a Florida retirement village has filed a lawsuit against the property owners, alleging negligence.
The family asserts that the owners were aware of the alligator's presence in the pond but failed to take necessary precautions.
Gloria Serge was near a retention pond behind her home in Fort Pierce, Florida, on February 20, 2023, when the 10-foot-long alligator emerged from the water, initially targeting her dog, according to the distressing surveillance footage.
The video reveals the reptile swimming directly towards Serge's dog before it emerges from the water and charges up the embankment in pursuit of the animal. The elderly woman was subsequently knocked to the ground, with the alligator biting her feet before dragging her into the water.
Bill Serge, Gloria's son, announced the lawsuit against Spanish Lakes Fairways at a press conference alongside his legal team on Friday. "One year ago, I received a phone call that every son dreads," he said, as reported by CBS12. "I never could have imagined the agonizing way that my mother spent the last moments of her life. No child should have to bury their mom under such horrible circumstances. This was a tragedy that was 100% preventable."
The lawsuit alleges that Wynne Building Corporation, the owner and operator of Spanish Lakes Fairways, was negligent in failing to remove the alligator from the pond or to post warning signs about its presence. The alligator was so notorious that it had been given the nickname "Henry" by the residents, according to the attorneys from Lesser, Lesser, Landy & Smith, PLLC, a West Palm Beach firm.
Attorneys Gary Lesser and managing partner Joshua Ferraro also argued that the tragedy could have been averted had the owners enforced rules against feeding wildlife. "If Spanish Lakes had taken any, any measure of common sense, of reasonable action, Gloria would be here today with her five children, her fifteen grandchildren and her nine great-grandchildren," Lesser stated.
The legal team further alleges that Gloria Serge was compelled to walk her dogs by the lake due to strict community rules prohibiting walking animals on the streets. "Spanish Lakes is one of these communities that has a rule: you cant walk your dog in the streets of your community," Lesser explained. "In fact, Gloria was given a violation and eviction warning for walking her small dog in the front yard of her house."
WPEC reported that its crew did not observe any signs warning of alligators on Friday, but did notice multiple signs prohibiting residents from walking their dogs on the street.
Fox News Digital reached out to Wynne Building Corporation for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
The alligator was subsequently trapped and killed by a nuisance gator trapper. Serges dog survived the attack.
Days after the tragedy, the Spanish Lakes Fairways homeowners association in St. Lucie removed three more alligators from the neighborhood, although it wasnt clear if the alligators were removed from the same pond where the woman tragically died, the Gainesville Sun reported.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) states that alligator attacks on humans are considered rare, as they typically do not attack unless provoked. Alligators can become aggressive during mating season or to protect their nests, according to the FWC.
Alligators inhabit all 67 counties in Florida and can be found in virtually all fresh and brackish water bodies and occasionally in salt water. Although exact population figures are not known, Florida has a healthy and stable population of about 1.3 million alligators of all sizes, according to the FWC.
From 1948 to 2022, there were 453 unprovoked bite incidents in Florida, 26 of which resulted in human fatalities, the FWC states.
Login