Pictured: Woman killed by alligator after arms were bitten off swimming in three feet of water
A woman who was killed by an alligator that bit her arms off as she swam in just three feet of water has been pictured for the first time.
Brittany Clark, a 31-year-old from Orlando, was set upon by a 12ft-13ft gator while hiking in the Little Big Econ State Forest with her partner Chance Allison and her best friend Jayden Hernandez.
The trio were taking a dip in shallow waters in the Econlockhatchee River at around 1.30 p.m on June 28 when the gator struck.
Hernandez has now paid tribute to her “loving and selfless” friend, and opened up about how the horrifying attack unfolded in front of her.
“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,” she wrote on Facebook.
“Britt literally commented on how she thought he was gonna act like he got attacked and we just laughed because chance would never do that because he’s an amazing person and I know he is because she chose him and only one amazing strong soul chooses someone just as strong as it’s own.
“It was just a joke… and just a few minutes later my best friend got attacked.”
Clark’s boyfriend had fought the alligator in a desperate attempt to save her, according to a medical examiner’s report obtained by The Daily Mail.
“While they were swimming an alligator grabbed [Clark] by her arm and began the ‘death roll’,” the report said.
“Her boyfriend Chance grabbed the alligator trying to get it to release her when it took them both underwater.
“Chance attempted to bring them both to shore when the alligator finally let go and CPR was started on shore by her boyfriend, and 911 was called.”
In a harrowing audio recording obtained by CBS12, the caller said that the 31-year-old’s arm had “gone” completely.
In her post, Hernandez described Clark as “one of the strongest, care-free, feral, hardworking, most loving, selfless person I knew” in an emotional tribute.
“It was NOT her time at all, we had so many plans, and it’s not ok whatsoever but it will be ok eventually,” she wrote. “I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone, my heart goes out to anyone that knew her because yall know that she was a beautiful unforgettable soul.”
