Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings told The Associated Press after a news conference Wednesday there was no indication Matt and Melissa Graves of suburban Omaha, Nebraska, committed any crime that contributed to the reptile grabbing their son, Lane Graves.
“There’s nothing in this case to indicate that there was anything extraordinary” in terms of neglect by the parents, Demings said.
Demings said his department and the state wildlife agency would look into the issue of signs around Seven Seas Lagoon, where Disney had posted “no swimming” signs but no warnings about the presence of alligators. Searchers removed five of the reptiles from the water while looking for the child, who was attacked at a small beach area near nightfall Tuesday.
Jacquee Wahler, Vice President of Walt Disney World Resort, released this statement Thursday: “All of our beaches are currently closed, and we are conducting a swift and thorough review of all of our processes and protocols. This includes the number, placement and wording of our signage and warnings.”
Deepest condolences to the Graves family. Thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Divers found the boy’s body on Wednesday afternoon, about 16 hours after authorities first got the call that a reptile had taken the him. The child’s father tried to save him but couldn’t.
The sheriff said it appeared the gator drowned the child and left the body near the spot where was last seen.
An autopsy showed that the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries, according to the Orlando medical examiner.
“Of course the family was distraught, but also I believe somewhat relieved that his body was found intact,” Demings told a news conference.
In a statement, George A. Kalogridis, President of Walt Disney World Resort, said:
“There are no words to convey the profound sorrow we feel for the family and their unimaginable loss. We are devastated and heartbroken by this tragic accident and are doing what we can to help the family during this difficult time. On behalf of everyone at Disney, we offer our deepest sympathies.”
In a statement, Disney CEO Bob Iger said, “As a parent and grandparent, my heart goes out to the Graves family during this time of devastating loss. My thoughts and prayers are with them, and I know everyone at Disney joins me in offering our deepest sympathies.”
The boy’s parents were identified as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn. A family friend released a statement on behalf of the couple Thursday:
“Words cannot describe the shock and grief our family is experiencing over the loss of our son. We are devastated and ask for privacy during this extremely difficult time. To all of the local authorities and staff who worked tirelessly these past 24 hours, we express our deepest gratitude.”
Walt Disney World drew more than 19 million tourists in 2013, making it the world’s most-visited amusement park, according to the Themed Entertainment Association, an industry group.
Wildlife officials said the attack was a rarity in a state with a gator population estimated at 1 million. But it still spooked visitors in a city built on tourism.
