A manicurist was killed by an alligator as she tried to touch the creature after noticing it in a nearby pond, according to authorities.
58-year-old Cynthia Covert was at her friend’s house on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, doing her nails. According to Cynthia’s friend she was “very talkative and strange,” the police report said.
“At the salon Covert acts very professional but today she was very relaxed and excited that her boyfriend was coming from Tennessee to visit,” she added, as per The Post and Courier.
Cynthia was on a glass of wine at the time and the friend wasn’t aware of her having had other substances beforehand.
After working on her friend’s nails, Cynthia reportedly noticed the alligator in the pond and was “fascinated” by it.
She then went over and started taking photos of the creature, and it was then when her friend cautioned her, saying that she saw a deer getting attacked by it at the same spot, according to the police.
“I don’t look like a deer.” Cynthia said before she reportedly reached out to touch the alligator.
The creature then charged Cynthia, grabbed her leg, and dragged her into the water.
“I guess I won’t do this again,” she was heard saying after the animal sunk its teeth in her, as per the police report.
The husband of Cynthia’s friend, along with a neighbor, rushed out and tried to pull her back on land with a rope.
However, the animal rolled over onto her and she disappeared out of sight.
When emergency services arrived, they searched for Cynthia for 10 to 15 minutes before finding her body. However, the alligator was still holding on to her leg.
An officer fired at the creature with a 9 mm gun so it would let go of the leg. The alligator was shot a number of times before it died.
Cynthia’s leg was badly damaged after her body was taken out of the water, but it had become clear that she lost her life by drowning.
According to the South Carolina Department of Natural resources, she is the third person in the state to be killed by an alligator.
What are your thoughts on this horrific tragedy? Let us know by joining the conversation in the comments and please share this article if you’ve found it informative.
