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

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: David Cannon/Getty

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 Newsreported.

“While in the water two alligators were observed near the victim and ultimately grabbed her while in the water,” deputies said, perABC News.

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

Getty

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.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

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

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.

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

source: people.com