Daughter of homeless Florida woman eaten by a 13ft alligator Breauna Dorris reveals the moment she found out she was dead after ‘praying’ it wasn’t her mom
The daughter of a homeless Florida woman who was eaten by a 13-foot alligator has revealed the moment she discovered she was dead after praying it wasn’t her.
Sabrina Peckham, 41, was found in the jaws of an alligator after being dragged by the 13-foot beast into a canal in Largo, Clearwater, last Friday.
Several locals saw the gruesome scene as the alligator dragged Peckham away and began recording the scene while alerting the Largo Fire Department.
Her daughter, Breauna Dorris, has now revealed it wasn’t her the moment she found out her mother had died, after ‘prayers’.
Doris told me Wesh2: ‘I think she’s going to walk through the door at any moment, and then you’ll remember. And then everything comes back.
Her daughter Breauna Dorris, pictured here, announced the news of her mother’s death on social media
Several local residents witnessed the horrific sight of Peckham’s death on Friday afternoon
“I’m sure my mother is beaming knowing that once one person cared about her, let alone thousands.”
She continued, “Knowing she was 50 feet away from where it happened, I prayed, ‘I hope it’s not her, I hope it’s not her.
‘Later that night the police arrived at my door and pretty much told me it was her and she was gone.
According to Dorris, her mother struggled with homelessness and described her as kind and selfless.
Dorris continued, “Many didn’t care about my mother, but know that in times like these we need our community, for people to come out to show our support, donate, pray and send kind words, that’s all true I can ask for. .’
Rescuers, working with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, were able to remove the alligator from the water before shooting it dead. Officials described him as “killed humanely” after the horrific attack.
Dorris announced the sad news on her social media, writing: “The past 24 hours have been filled with sadness and excruciating pain for our family.
“My mother, Sabrina Peckham, was a victim of the alligator attack at McCay Creek (Rainbow Village).
The Florida alligator was found with a corpse clutched in its jaws while walking through a canal near Clearwater
Sabrina Peckham (left) pictured with her daughter Breauna Dorris. Peckham, 41, was found in the alligator’s jaws on Friday after being dragged into a canal by the 13-foot beast
“Please understand that we do not have all the information yet as the medical examiners’ report is not yet ready.
“Some details I would like to share is that my mother did not ‘taunt’ the alligator, as some say in the news media comments.
“My mother was part of the homeless population that lived in the nearby wooded area.
“It is believed she was walking to or from her campsite near the creek in the dark and the alligator attacked from the water.
‘We expected to spend many more years with her. Unfortunately, God called her home sooner than our hearts were ready.”
Dorris addressed her mother in a heartfelt statement: “To my mother: I love you more than I ever said, I miss you more than you will ever know and I pray that you look down on me and your grandchildren.
‘Please protect us. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I pray that you are at peace and are no longer struggling or in pain. I pray that you found Mom and Dad and that you are all watching from above.”
The large reptile held its victim tightly between its powerful jaws as it paddled across the waterway in the small town of Largo
Emergency responders, working with the Florida FWC, successfully removed the alligator from the water and subsequently euthanized it
Sabrina Peckham was named as the homeless Florida woman who was mauled to death and dragged into a waterway by a huge alligator in Largo, Clearwater
Jennifer Dean, who lived near where the woman was killed, said, “A lot of my neighbors were here and they’re the ones who told me about the alligator.
“While we were standing here we heard a shot, I guess they killed the alligator.”
Once the alligator was dead, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was able to retrieve the victim’s body from the water.
“I could tell there was a body in his mouth, so I started recording,” JaMarcus Bullard told Bay News 9.
“I went to the fire department and reported it to them,” he said.
Researchers also took the time to examine the alligator, which measured 13 feet in length.
It is believed the deadly reptile came from a nearby alligator-infested lake known as Ridgecrest Park.