Brittany Clark, 31, was fatally attacked by an alligator while swimming in the Econlockhatchee River, Florida, on Sunday, June 28. Now, the Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office has released a preliminary report shedding more light on the circumstances surrounding her death.
Clark was at the river with her boyfriend, Chance Allison, and her close friend, Jayden Hernandez, after the group had gone hiking and decided to cool off in the water. According to Allison, everything happened within moments and without warning.
He said the trio had been laughing and enjoying themselves just before the situation turned into chaos, when a 13-foot alligator reportedly emerged unexpectedly from the water.
The Orange County Medical Examiner’s Office’s preliminary report states that the alligator initially grabbed Clark by the arm before performing a “death roll” — a maneuver in which the animal latches onto prey and violently spins underwater to tear it apart, according to the National Institutes of Health.
The report read: “Chance Allison [Clark’s boyfriend] grabbed the alligator trying to get it to release, when it took them both underwater releasing (Brittany) for a moment and then grabbing her other arm,” according to UNILAD.
Fatal alligator attack in Florida
Clark’s friend, Hernandez, later revealed that the group had been joking about the possibility of an alligator attack just moments before it happened.
Writing in a Facebook post, Hernandez said: “There were air bubbles within our little triangle we made with our bodies in the water and I commented on how it might be a sneaky gator and Chance, Brittany’s boyfriend, swam right over it to show nothing was there, and nothing was there.
“Britt literally commented on how she thought he was gonna act like he got attacked and we just laughed because he would never do that because he’s an amazing person.”
Emergency crews arrived at the scene in about 12 minutes, but despite their desperate efforts, Clark was pronounced dead.
“I’m just still in disbelief”
Speaking to the New York Post, Allison revealed the last thing Clark said to him: “While we were waiting for emergency services to arrive Brittany just told me to make sure I took care of Hokie,” he said.
Following the tragedy, Allison shared a heartbreaking tribute to Clark on Facebook.
“I’m just still in disbelief of what took place. We had so many things planned out and memories to be made.”
He continued: “I’m not really sure what to say here and it almost feels wrong to post anything at all. I’m just still in disbelief of what took place. We had so many things planned out and memories to be made.
“You were such a special person and did not deserve to go out in such a way. I love you and don’t worry about shady and hokie I’ll take care of them forever,” he said of Clark’s pets.
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