LARGO, FLORIDA: Breauna Dorris, the daughter of a homeless woman from Florida who tragically lost her life to a 14-foot alligator, has stated that her mother did not provoke the animal before it dragged her into a canal, resulting in her death.
Sabrina Peckham, aged 41, was discovered in the clutches of the alligator after it pulled her into a canal in Largo, Clearwater, on Friday, September 22.
The exact cause of death is pending determination by the coroner.
Breauna Dorris responds to alligator attack, rejects claims of taunting
Breauna Dorris, Peckham's daughter, has stepped forward to defend her mother, suggesting that the alligator likely attacked her while she was walking to her homeless camp in the darkness, according to DailyMail.com.
In a Facebook post, Dorris conveyed, "My mother was a part of the homeless population that lived in the nearby wooded area. It is believed that she may have been walking to or from her campsite near the creek in the dark, and the alligator attacked from the water."
"My mother, Sabrina Peckham was the victim of the alligator attack at McCay Creek (Rainbow Village). Please understand that we do not have all the information yet as the medical examiner's report is not yet finished," she noted.
"Some details I would like to share is that my mother did not 'taunt' the alligator as some are saying in the news outlets comments. We expected to have many many more years with her. Unfortunately, god has called her home sooner than our hearts were ready," she added.
She also mentioned a GoFundMe campaign they launched, which has already raised nearly $6,000.
"The past 24 hours have been filled with grief and sorrow and unbearable pain for our family."
"To my mother: I love you more than I ever expressed, I miss you more than you'll ever know and I pray that you are looking down over me and your grandchildren," she continued.
"Please protect us. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I pray you are at peace and you are no longer struggling or hurting. I pray you found Momo and pop and you all are watching down from above," Breauna added.
Sabrina Peckham had been arrested 2 months before her death
Peckham had been arrested two months before her tragic death for trespassing on a county wetland close to the location of the alligator attack.
She had disregarded warning signs in the area and later pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge in September. She had a history of misdemeanor charges dating back to 2014, as well as prior theft convictions and encounters with the police.
The incident was initially witnessed by a local resident driving to a job interview, who promptly alerted the Largo Fire Department. Subsequently, other residents also witnessed the gruesome scene as the alligator dragged its victim away, with some recording the incident.
Emergency responders, alongside the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, eventually removed and euthanized the alligator after the attack.
Peckham's body was retrieved from the water once the alligator had been neutralized. The gator, measuring nearly 14 feet in length, is believed to have come from a nearby alligator-infested lake called Ridgecrest Park.
Jennifer Dean, a resident living in close proximity to the incident, mentioned, "A lot of my neighbors were out here and they're the ones that told me about the gator."
'While we were standing here we heard a shot, I assume they killed the gator," she added.
Following the alligator's demise, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office was able to recover the victim's remains from the water. JaMarcus Bullard, speaking to Bay News 9, noted, "I could tell there was a body in his mouth, so I started recording," JaMarcus Bullard said to Bay News 9.
"I came down to the fire department and reported it to them," he said.
