Were there any obvious signs in the area where the child was playing that stated there were alligators in the water area? If so, they were ignored.
Where were this child's parents?! Too busy staring at an iPhone or what?! I mean, I know kids run off, but I think if you are in an incredibly busy park like Walt Disney World, you'd keep your kids in close view and range at all times. I can't even begin to tell you how distracted young parents can be with a phone or a tablet...even around my apartment complex's pool...the parents chat amongst themselves or stare at their phones while their very young kids (around ages 2-5) are in the pool by themselves or with other same aged kids. Those kids could drown, or need their parents' love, and the parents are too busy to care. It really pushes my buttons like nothing else.
What's even worse is that Disney World allows alligators to be in an open enclosure. Are they too cheap to even put plexiglass fences up?! I mean, these are alligators...fast moving, quick to anger, and potential man eating predators.
There are so many things wrong with this...it makes me so mad! Why?!
If you'd take the time to actually read news stories and get the facts, you'd learn more about this case.
When the incident happened, it was late at night about 9pm or so. Apparently, there was some sort of outdoor movie night going on at the resort. As for what the parents were doing, I don't know. But they couldn't have been 100% completely distracted because both the father and mother saw the attack happen and both rushed to help get the child away from the alligator.
"No Swimming" signs were posted along the beach/water areas. The child wasn't swimming per se, but was only in 12 inches of water and was more like "wading".
What is also wrong is the yellow part I highlighted. There is absolutely NOTHING Disney or anybody else can do about the alligator situation in Florida except put up alligator warning signs. Why? Read this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/16/us/airboat-captain-disney-gators/index.html
I had no idea Disney World had a hotel right on the waterway. That's really bad planning, considering gators have been there for hundreds of years.
Honestly, if people don't read signs and keep an eye on their kids, kids will get eaten by gators. And if gators can get in no matter what...well, I guess my travel plans to Orlando are nixed.
I still think the Disney Company needs to be held responsible for its patrons, wildlife or no. I think if a hotel or resort is built on a wildlife refuge, people need to be informed constantly. Through apps, through email, through signs, at every entrance and exit. There is no excuse here, since the Company makes billions of dollars a year in theme parks alone.
I also think that parents who wish to travel to these places...zoos, wildlife parks, hotels near wildlife...need to be taught repeatedly that you don't bring small children to these places. I think there needs to be an age restriction. It's been a long time coming, honestly.
Museums, zoos, and wildlife refuges are NOT for small children!! There are places that are made just for kids...playgrounds, Chuck E Cheese, petting zoos, and kids' museums. Why do parents think that because their kid is smart, it's ok to bring them to an adult area?! I think this would be common sense, but most people ignore that, so I think there needs to be a definite age limit, like they have at theme parks on rides.
I'm sure putting the restriction in place would make a lot of parents angry, but I feel it's not smart to bring a kid younger than kindergarten age into such areas.
At any rate, the whole scenario is terrible.