Body of boy recovered in lagoon

Associated Press

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.

The body of a 2-year-old Nebraska boy who was snatched off a Walt Disney World beach by an alligator and dragged underwater was recovered Wednesday, ending a ghastly search at one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations.

Divers found the body of Lane Graves about 16 hours after authorities first got the call that a reptile had taken the boy from the water’s edge at Seven Seas Lagoon despite his father’s frantic attempt to save the child.

Sheriff Jerry Demings said it appeared the gator pulled the child into deeper water and drowned him, leaving the body near the spot where he was last seen. An autopsy was planned.

The boy’s parents were identified as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, Neb., a suburban area of Omaha. A family friend released a statement on behalf of the couple thanking well-wishers for their “thoughts and hope-filled prayers.”

In a statement from Disney World Resort President George A. Kalogridis, the company said it was “doing what we can” to help the family.

Disney World closed beaches around Seven Seas Lagoon during the search, and it was not immediately clear when they would reopen.

Though “no swimming” signs are posted at the beach where the boy was attacked, no signs warn about alligators. A company representative said it would “thoroughly review the situation for the future.”