Photos for Headline Surfer / An 11-foot-long alligator like the one shown here in Lake Kissimmee in Polk County, Florida, killed a woman after tipping over the canoe she and her husband were paddling in 2 1/2 feet of water near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee, 35 miles south of Orlando. The tragic situation occurred on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. She was identified as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport, Florida. LEFT: This alligator is representative of the docile activity of such creatures when undisturbed by humans.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- An 11-foot-long alligator killed a woman after tipping over a canoe she and her husband were paddling, in what investigators say appeared to be an accidental encounter.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) said the attack happened on Tuesday afternoon near the mouth of Tiger Creek into Lake Kissimmee, 35 miles south of Orlando. This location is also near the location of a March alligator attack in which a woman was bitten on the elbow while kayaking.
Investigators said at a news conference on Wednesday that the couple was canoeing in about 2 1/2 feet of water when they came upon a large alligator. The startled animal thrashed suddenly, tipping over the canoe and sending both people into the water.
“It sounds like the canoe drifted over, on top of the alligator. The alligator was startled,” Roger Young, the FWC’s executive director, said Wednesday at a press conference near the scene of the fatal encounter.
Witnesses told investigators that the husband tried to fight off the animal but was unsuccessful. FWC officials identified the victim as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport, Florida. It was not clear if her husband was injured. Preliminary information indicates that the woman was canoeing with her husband when they encountered an alligator, causing both individuals to fall into the water. An 11-foot, 4-inch alligator bit the woman and pulled her underwater. The woman was later found deceased and recovered from the water. The FWC stressed that it extends its deepest sympathies to the victim's family and friends during this difficult time.
Witnesses told investigators that the husband tried to fight off the animal but was unsuccessful. FWC officials identified the victim as 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport, Florida. It was not clear if her husband was injured. Preliminary information indicates that the woman was canoeing with her husband when they encountered an alligator, causing both individuals to fall into the water. An 11-foot, 4-inch alligator bit the woman and pulled her underwater. The woman was later found deceased and recovered from the water.
The FWC stressed that it extends its deepest sympathies to the victim's family and friends during this difficult time.
FWC officers and local emergency personnel, including the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, were on the scene. A contracted nuisance alligator trapper also arrived, removed the alligator from the water, and dispatched it. FWC officers and the trapper will remain in the area to ensure public safety.
The FWC stressed that it extends its deepest sympathies to the victim's family and friends during this difficult time.
According to the FWC, serious injuries caused by alligators are rare in Florida, and deaths resulting from alligator attacks are even rarer.
The FWC prioritizes public safety and administers a Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP), which uses contracted nuisance alligator trappers throughout the state to remove alligators believed to pose a threat to people, pets, or property.
People with concerns about an alligator should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
The FWC works to keep Floridians and visitors informed and recommends the following precautionary measures near alligators, including in or near the water, to reduce the chances of conflicts with alligators:
• Keep a safe distance if you see an alligator. If someone is concerned about an alligator, they should call FWC’s toll-free Nuisance Alligator Hotline at 866-FWC-GATOR (866-392-4286), and we will dispatch a contracted nuisance alligator trapper to resolve the situation.
• Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Pets often resemble alligators’ natural prey.
• Swim only in designated swimming areas during daylight hours and without your pet. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
• Never feed an alligator. It’s illegal and dangerous. When fed, alligators can lose their natural wariness and instead learn to associate people with the availability of food. This can lead to an alligator becoming a nuisance and needing to be removed from the wild.
The incident remains under investigation, and no additional details are available now. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available, the FWC said.
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