Divers found a body “intact” that they believe to be the two-year-old, who was dragged into the water on Tuesday evening in front of his family.
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The mother, father and their three children checked into the hotel on Sunday, Demings said.
About 14 hours after the boy was reported missing, sheriff’s deputies said their efforts had shifted from a search and rescue to a search and recovery mission.
He said they rarely come onshore but “you should not go into the water”.
He says the boy’s family “will no question lose a 2-year-old child”.
Wildlife officials captured and euthanased five alligators from the lagoon to examine them for traces of the child but found no evidence they were involved, said Nick Wiley, head of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
Almost 50 rescuers, including Wildlife Fish and Game officials, were still searching for the little boy as of 2:00 a.m. ET.
When pressed about the lack of specific alligator warnings, he said, “I think there will be opportunities.to see if this [tragedy] can be prevented in the future”.
The company announced Wednesday that it’s closing the beaches in “an abundance of caution”.
“Our thoughts and our prayers are with the Graves family during this time of unthinkable sadness”.
In a news conference on Wednesday, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said that the boy, identified as Lane Graves, had likely died by drowning.
The Orange County Sheriff’s office says the boy was taken under water.
Though Florida has grown to the third-most populous state, fatal alligator attacks remain rare. “We’re not leaving until we recover the child”, Demings promised.
“Everyone here at the Walt Disney Resort is devastated by this tragic accident”, said Jacquee Wahler, a vice president at Walt Disney World Resort. There have been no recent reports or complaints about alligators in the area. The child was dragged underwater in the Seven Seas Lagoon, witnesses told authorities.
We now know the name of the 2-year-old boy, who was tragically snatched from his parents into the Seven Seas Lagoon at Walt Disney World Tuesday night.
Some people said a “No Swimming” sign is hardly sufficient if alligators could be lurking.
The beach is part of the luxury Grand Floridian resort, across the lake from Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park.
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According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a growth in population around waterside areas, has led to “more frequent alligator-human interactions, and a greater potential for conflict”.
