ORLANDO, FLA. - The remains of the 2-year-old boy who was snatched by an alligator have been found, according to Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings.
Demings said before announcing the news, they spoke with the family of the toddler to tell them their son had been found. He identified the parents as Matt and Melissa Graves of Elkhorn, Nebraska.
“It was a tough message to deliver to them,” Demings said.
The family told Demings they want to thank everyone for their prayers and support as they go through this difficult time.
The announcement about the boy's body came after 17 hours of searching a man-made lake at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa in Orlando.
Experienced alligator trappers, sheriff's department divers and sonar equipment were used to search the network of man-made canals, ponds and lakes where the gator was suspected of taking the boy.
The dive team eventually found the boy's body "intact" near the attack site. Authorities say they believe the alligator drowned the toddler in the Disney lagoon.
Earlier Wednesday, Demings says Disney has never had anything like this happen in 45 years of operations.
He says the theme parks' wildlife management system works diligently to keep guests safe from dangerous Florida creatures, removing or killing any alligators they find. Disney has closed all its resort beaches and waterways as "an abundance of caution."
The boy was grabbed Tuesday evening while playing in about a foot of water at the Seven Seas Lagoon at the Grand Floridian Resort with his father Tuesday evening.
"The father entered the water and he tried to grab the child, but was not successful in doing so," Demings told reporters at an early morning news conference.
