Missing Florida Woman May Have Been Snatched and Killed by Alligator, Cops Say

A woman walking her dogs may have been dragged into the water and killed by an alligator, authorities in Florida said.

The 12-foot gator was trapped and removed from a lake in the Silver Lakes Rotary Nature Park in Davie Friday, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

Human remains were found inside the gator, authorities said. 

"After an initial necropsy, evidence was found that indicates that the victim of this incident was bitten by the alligator that was captured earlier today," FWC spokesman Robert Klepper said. "The FWC believes that the victim is deceased and we will continue recovery efforts on the lake with local authorities."

The victim was identified as Shizuka Matsuki of Plantation. 

A witness had seen the woman walking her dogs near the water. He later saw the pets at the water's edge without their owner, so he contacted authorities.

"Her dogs won't leave the pond," Davie Police Maj. Dale Engle told the Sun Sentinel."One of her dogs got bit by the gator."

The park, which is surrounded by homes and is popular for picnics and dog-walking, was closed following the incident.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesman Rob Klepper said the report of the attack was still unconfirmed Friday afternoon.

While alligator attacks are uncommon, they are not unheard of. Between 1948 and 2017, 401 people were bitten by alligators, including 24 fatalities, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission data.

In 2016, a 2-year-old boy, Lane Graves, was snatched by a gator as he played at a Disney World resort.