Fort Pierce, Florida – A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the owner of the retirement complex where an alligator attacked and killed an elderly woman last year.
Gloria Serge, 85, passed away in February 2023 while taking her little dog for a stroll beside the lake outside of her Spanish Lakes Fairways house in the Fort Pierce, Florida, housing development. The instant an enormous alligator sprang out of the water and swung at Serge and her dog was captured on surveillance footage from a wildlife camera installed in the neighborhood.
The video, which was made public by Inside Edition, included excerpts from a scared 911 call that Serge’s neighbor made while she was witnessing the alligator drag the 85-year-old into the ocean.
The alligator’s approximate length, according to wildlife officials, was ten feet. After the attack, it took a minimum of six individuals to capture the animal, transfer it to a pickup truck’s rear, and take it to be put to death. Soon after the attack, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission verified in a statement that Serge’s remains had been found.
William Serge, Serge’s son, who oversees her estate, filed the case on Thursday.
William Serge remarked during a press conference, “One year ago, I received a phone call that every son dreads,” according to CBS affiliate WPEC. “I never could have imagined the agonizing way that my mother spent the last moments of her life.”
According to the complaint, Serge’s family is requesting a jury trial in addition to at least $50,000 in damages from Wynne Building Corporation, the company that owns and runs Spanish Lakes Fairways. The lawsuit blames Wynne Building Corporation for the deadly alligator assault, alleging that the company should have known or knew the animal existed on the land but failed to warn the locals or take action to remove it.
Lawyers for Serge’s family said in a statement, “The property manager was well aware of the presence of large alligators in the lakes on the property, and this gator was no exception.” “In fact, evidence obtained by our firm will show that maintenance workers in the community routinely fed this alligator chicken scraps and even named the dangerous reptile ‘Henry.'”
In a statement sent to CBS News, Joel Wynne, president of Wynne Building Corporation, stated: “We certainly understand the tragedy and the feelings of Mrs. Serge’s family.” But 37 years ago, we created Spanish Lakes Fairways. There are about 3,000 people living here. This is the first time an alligator has attacked a resident. As a longtime homeowner, Mrs. Serge was undoubtedly aware of the existence of alligators and their inherent risk.”
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