From the OS: Gator drags child into Seven Seas Lagoon

[twebber55]

I did. Three times. While I left out a lot of questions, those are exactly why Disney is liable. It is THEIR property. It is THEIR responsibility to keep guests safe. While this is a freak occurrence, it still happened. On Disney's property. And Disney is liable.





Are you really that stupid? Clearly you don't understand the law. So I suggest you just stop. Clearly you want to blame the parents. You must be one of those "compassionate Christians" I read so much about (but are clearly a myth).





National Parks aren't "owned" by anyone, therefore lawsuits against them are restricted by law. Unlike Walt Disney World, the Natural Parks are, in fact, the natural habitats of ALL species that live within them. And if you actually knew anything about the McDonald's coffee lawsuit, you would know that it was in fact a legitimate lawsuit.

im offended by your christian comment

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

That woman kept yelling over every other reporter. And what is the fascination with CNN and other networks constantly saying man made lake

When I see stuff like this I'm just reminded of the lyrics of Don Henley's Dirty Laundry. No compassion just sensationalism. Sickening.

 

[Baltar]

She was very grating... and determined... and grating...

and ignoring the answer and saying the same thing over and over.

 

[Matt_Black]

While I find this ridiculous blame game going on to be disgusting and extremely disrespectful (to say nothing of your tone), I must say that I don't think you're making any sense.

This is a body of water in central Florida. There are going to be gators. Hell, gators regularly get in our swimming pools! This family was wading in water that is clearly marked with signs telling you to stay out of it. How exactly would Disney be liable for this?

Well, FOX has a judge on, and he's saying that Disney is liable. He's not gone into many specifics on what they could have done to prevent this. He was very clear though that while the water is TECHNICALLY owned by the state government, the Fish & Wildlife Dept or any other state body cannot be held liable.

 

[Blairnicol]

From people there, at least three gator trapping boats are in the water. They are going to grab (and kill) any gators they come in contact with and then ... no easy way to say this ... cut them open to look for the child's remains.

So the boy's body was found in tact but they didn't get the gator. Perhaps he drowned?

The guilty gator might have been one of the 5 they euthanized looking for remains this AM.

 

[brettf22]

Article from the Washington Post re: liability. Presented without comment, just for reference.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...bout-alligators/?f9ad2&utm_term=.0d22fb3b72e0

 

[brea]

So wait the gator took the boy, drowned him, and then decided he wasn't a meal? I cannot imagine how this would be considered to be a better outcome for the parents. So my son was drowned for sport?

I know the gator doesn't think that way but the parent will.

My heart goes out to the family involved and thank you to those educating others on the dangers involved. Shame on so many on this post to go anywhere else.

 

[JWG]

I guess people shouldn't be allowed to cross the street since there's a chance of getting hit by a car and it's been documented to have happened before.

I guess my point is, accidents happen. I don't blame Disney, I don't blame the family (trying to wrangle 1 child let alone 2+ is a challenge and no one feels worse than they do right now), and it totally sucks in a BIG way. But fencing off the lakes, removing access to anything that may present risk, it's just not sustainable.

Condolences... feel awful for the family.

 

[Baltar]

I completely disagree with you, 1000%. There are signs right where it happened that state "NO SWIMMING". They went into the water. Anything after that point is parental negligence and child endangerment.

Yes, my statement is sickening right now. Legally, Disney has no control of acts of God and nature. If that is the case, I need to file my lawsuit as well for endangering me from meteors and asteroids. There are no signs on property telling me such and putting my life at risk.

I'm in the "freakish accident and nobody is liable" crowd but "No Swimming" isn't going to cut it when the kid wasn't swimming. But regardless, this will never go to trial. Disney will drop a large sum that they know will be more important than going to trial against this family.

It's a horrible tragedy.

 

[UofMGuy423]

I'm sorry, Disney is completely negligent here. While parents certainly have to be aware of any possibilities that may arise at all times, a business has the obligation to educate its patrons on the dangers that exist on their property.

If I were visiting from Nebraska, I certainly wouldn't think for a second there could be gators in Seven Seas Lagoon. Of course, now it seems obvious, but being on vacation in a place like Disney world, I certainly wouldn't think for a second about it.

The idea Disney wouldn't (a) remove the gators; (b) put up signage warning people that they are in the water; and (c) would throw a movie party on the beach, just steps away from water where you know gators have been seen very recently is beyond negligent, it's stupidity beyond belief.

After speaking with someone who is the lead cancel with a Fortune 500 company, this thing will never see a courtroom. His feeling is that this family will most likely see 8 to 9 figures from this.

This was a HUGE oversight. It's about as negligent as it gets. Heads are gonna roll on this one, most likely all the way to the top.

I've seen it mentioned elsewhere that Florida law doesn't pass liability to landowners for wild animal attacks on guests. There is also case law that "No Swimming" signs is sufficient warning for alligator attacks, etc. Being "negligent" would require some lack of care on Disney's part, here there were signs saying 'no swimming' and it was a wild animal that attacked. It was a freak, horrible accident and nobody should be blamed.

 

[BigRedDad]

He was in the water. That is swimming.

 

[Baltar]

Well, thank you. I've been following all day. Then apparently "hundreds of times" that the body was found in the span of 30 minutes when I stepped away. Thanks for your help.

No worries. I read over the past 3 pages before I posted a link. Just to make sure I didn't repeat the same thing over and over.

 

[GhostHost1000]

New media is reporting Disney is certainly liable for this legally....however the latest news conference also shared that the boy might have been out as much as 10 yards in the water splashing around when no swimming signs are posted

Either way I'm sure Disney will do all they can for the family to help in any way they can in this sad time

 

[WDWLover#1]

It's just a horrible horrible accident, and I don't think it was anyones fault. Just awful.

 

[Baltar]

He was in the water. That is swimming.

You think a lawyer won't argue that water below the kid's ankles is not swimming? Come on..lawyers have won a lot of suits for much less than that.

 

[OliveMcFly]

I just read an article on CNN stating that the family was at the movie on the beach. This leads me to believe that they weren't in a less populated area as I initially thought. It will be interesting to see what direction the resort goes in as far as the beaches.

 

[JohnD]

New media is reporting Disney is certainly liable for this legally....however the latest news conference also shared that the boy might have been out as much as 10 yards in the water splashing around when no swimming signs are posted

Either way I'm sure Disney will do all they can for the family to help in any way they can in this sad time

It was reported earlier that there were witnesses. Sounds like deposition time.

 

[Baltar]

New media is reporting Disney is certainly liable for this legally....however the latest news conference also shared that the boy might have been out as much as 10 yards in the water splashing around when no swimming signs are posted

Either way I'm sure Disney will do all they can for the family to help in any way they can in this sad time

They press conference said the body was found 10 yards away. Not when he was splashing.

 

[Ignohippo]

I wish people would get their facts in order about what Disney actually does with regards to wildlife management before spouting off on legal liability. The state Fish & Wildlife Commission has already described a continuing practice they have along with Disney on the topic. I wish people would take their own agendas out of a tragedy like this.

Having alligators and wildlife that could be dangerous is not the issue. What is the issue, however, is Disney not educating their visitors on the risks and that the wildlife does, in fact, exist on their property and that it does pose a danger.

Not posting signage on the waterfront warning guests is incredibly negligent. You can understand management not wanting the signage because it takes away from that "magical Disney experience," but they are incredibly idiotic for trying to keep the dangers from guests.

 

[montyz81]

It seems they have found the child. God I feel so awful for this family. I was just there and could never imagine this happening to my family!