July 8 (UPI) — The body of a dead woman was found in a retention pond in Florida over the weekend in what police believe may have been the result of an alligator attack.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the woman’s body was found in the retention pond behind the Landing Bar and Grill in Valrico, Fla., near Tampa, at 8:40 p.m. on Sunday.
“What a tragic ending to the Fourth of July holiday for this woman’s family and friends,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said. “I want to thank our local partners for their cooperation with this investigation as we work to learn what led up to her death.”
The sheriff’s office said “alligators are known to frequent” the retention pond and that the woman’s injuries were “consistent with an alligator attack.”
It noted, however, that the cause of death remains undetermined and an investigation by the Medical Examiner’s Office remains ongoing.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and alligator trappers also responded to the scene.
