The victim has been named as 41-year-old Sabrina Peckham
Yesterday (September 24), news emerged that a 13-foot (almost 4m) alligator was killed after being spotted dragging human remains down a canal by a passerby.
Now, the daughter of the Florida woman whose body was found in the mouth of the alligator has spoken about her ‘unbearable pain’ after her mom’s death.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office said officers responded to an area near 134th Avenue North and 121st Street in Ridgecrest, Florida, on Friday after getting reports of a body in the waterway, FOX 13 reported.
Jamarcus Bullard told NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa that he saw what he thought was an alligator in the water, but what he discovered really shocked him:
“I threw a rock at the gator just to see if it was really a gator and like it pulled the body, like it was holding on to the lower part of the torso, and pulled it under the water,” he said.
Stunned, Bullard said he started recording on his cell phone and contacted authorities.
He also told Spectrum Bay News 9: “I could tell there was a body in his mouth, so I started recording. I came down to the fire department and reported it to them.”
The remains of an adult were also recovered and the victim was publicly identified Saturday as 41-year-old Sabrina Peckham.
The New York Post reported that Peckham, who was homeless, was caught by Pinellas County deputies around 6:30am on July 14 for trespassing onto county wetland just half a mile from where she was found dead Friday.
Peckman ignored posted signage warning against unlawful entry, court records showed. After pleading no contest to the misdemeanour, she was released from the county on September 8 and ordered to pay $500, the Post reported.
It is not clear where Peckham went in the two weeks before she was discovered dead in the waterway.
Records, the Post reported, showed she had a history of run-ins with police dating back to 2014, including multiple charges for trespassing.
Peckman also had multiple drug and theft convictions lodged against her.
Authorities, with help of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “humanely killed” the alligator.
Now, Peckham’s daughter has spoken out – voicing her heartbreak upon learning of her mother’s death.
She explained on Facebook: “The past 24 hours have been filled with grief and sorrow and unbearable pain for our family. I’m posting this to put rumours to rest and ask for everyone’s help.
“My mother, Sabrina Peckham was the victim of the alligator attack at McCay Creek (Rainbow Village).
“Please understand that we do not have all information yet as the medical examiners report is not yet finished.
“Some details I would like to share is that my mother did not ‘taunt’ the alligator as some are saying in the news outlets comments.”
“My mother was a part of the homeless population that lived in the nearby wooded area.
“It is believed that she may have been walking to or from her camp site near the creek in the dark and the alligator attacked from the water.
“Please do not speak on what you don’t know. No matter how you put it, no one deserves to die like this.”
Her daughter concluded her post writing: “We expected to have many many more years with her. Unfortunately god has called her home sooner than our hearts were ready.
“To my mother: I love you more than I ever expressed, I miss you more than you’ll ever know and I pray that you are looking down over me and your grandchildren. Please protect us.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you. I pray you are at peace and you are no longer struggling or hurting.”
A GoFundMe has been set up for Sabrina Peckham to help lay her to rest in the family plot.
Related links:
Man leaves bar because toilet line is too long – gets attacked by 10-foot alligator
People are losing it after man is spotted with an emotional support alligator
Cruise ship passenger who fell overboard swam with sharks for 20 hours
