Disturbing bodycam footage shows a bloated 14-foot alligator with the remains of a 41-year-old woman, Sabrina Peckham, in its stomach. Peckham was attacked and dragged into a canal in Clearwater by the alligator. At the time, she was homeless and living at an encampment near the location where the alligator was found and killed.
New footage from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reveals the horrific aftermath of the fatal attack. The chilling video shows the massive alligator surrounded by several police officers shortly after it was shot dead. Its stomach is visibly swollen, containing Peckham's remains. The police also released footage capturing the moment the alligator was shot.
Killed and Swallowed Completely
"Watch them, watch them," a voice can be heard just before the trigger is pulled, resulting in a loud bang and a splash, as the giant alligator is shot dead with Peckham's body inside it.
A passerby raised the alarm in September last year after noticing the alligator with what seemed to be a body in its mouth.
Soon after, several other locals witnessed the gruesome scene, some even recording the alligator dragging its prey away.
Emergency responders, along with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, managed to remove the alligator from the water before shooting it. Officials said that the alligator was "humanely killed" following the horrific attack.
According to Fox13, officers taped the alligator's mouth shut and used ropes and chains to pull it from the canal.
They had to cut open its belly to retrieve some of Peckham's remains.
Following her mother's death, Peckham's daughter denied that her mother had been taunting the alligator. "My mother was a part of the homeless population that lived in the nearby wooded area," Breauana Dorris wrote in a Facebook post.
"It is believed that she may have been walking to or from her camp site near the creek in the dark and the alligator attacked from the water.
"We expected to have many many more years with her. Unfortunately, god has called her home sooner than our hearts were ready."
Unfortunate Death
Two months before her tragic death, Peckham was arrested on July 14 for trespassing on a county wetland located just half a mile from where she was attacked, according to reports from WFLA. She was fined $500 for that incident.
Peckham allegedly disregarded warning signs in the area and pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge on September 8.
This was not the first time she had been arrested for trespassing, as records dating back to 2014 show multiple misdemeanor charges against her. Peckham also had a history of theft convictions and encounters with law enforcement.
"No matter how you put it, no one deserves to die like this," her daughter wrote online.
"To my mother: I love you more than I ever expressed, I miss you more than you'll ever know and I pray that you are looking down over me and your grandchildren.
"Please protect us. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I pray you are at peace and you are no longer struggling or hurting. I pray you found momo and pop and you all are watching down from above."
It's understood that the deadly alligator had come from a nearby lake known as Ridgecrest Park, which is infested with alligators.
