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An elderly woman died after reportedly being held "hostage" by a massive alligator in South Carolina.
According to authorities in Sun City, 88-year-old Nancy Becker was found dead near a lagoon off Colonel Thomas Heyward Road and Fort Walker Lane around 11:15 a.m. on Monday (August 15), per WSAV. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received reports of a large alligator guarding what looked like a human body near the edge of a pond, where they found Becker deceased once the 10-foot-long gator moved.
Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Maj. Angela Viens echoed sentiments from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources that Becker was likely gardening when she slipped and fell into the pond.
"When we responded that's what we observed as well that the alligator was basically holding her hostage, was guarding her and didn't want anyone close by," she said. "There's no indication that it was a dog walking event that is what we commonly see and hear about in the Lowcountry."
According to the outlet, the alligator has since been euthanized. The last deadly alligator attack in Beaufort County was in 2018.
Monday's gator attack comes days after it was reported teenagers visiting Hilton Head Island wrangled an alligator and tied it up, throwing objects at it because they were "bored."