HOUSTON – A sergeant with the Houston Police Department shot and killed an alligator after it was found with the remains of a woman inside its mouth, according to authorities.
The incident occurred in the 2700 block of Coastal Oak Drive about 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday, May 28. The identity and cause of death of the woman, believed to be in her 60s, are pending verification by the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences, officials said.
The Houston Police Department issued the following details in a news release on Wednesday:
“HPD patrol officers located the remains of a woman in the jaws of an alligator in the Horsepen Bayou, just west of El Dorado Boulevard, while searching the area for a woman reported missing. An HPD sergeant fatally shot the alligator to prevent it from doing more damage to the remains.
“The HPD Dive Team then responded to the scene and recovered the remains and alligator from the bayou.
“At this time, the investigation is pending cause and manner of death, to be determined by an autopsy.”
Law enforcement authorities did not disclose the identity of the woman who was reported missing, NBC DFW reported.
It was unclear if the woman was fatally attacked or whether the alligator came across her unresponsive body due to other reasons.
