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LARGO, FLORIDA: Sabrina Peckham, 41, a homeless Florida woman has been identified as the person whose lifeless body was discovered clenched between the jaws of a 14-foot (426.72 cm) alligator in Largo.
The tragedy caused shock throughout the community as a terrifying video of the incident went viral on social media.
Additional details regarding Peckham have come to light stating that she was allegedly arrested two months ago for trespassing.
Why was Sabrina Peckham arrested?
According to court documents, the homeless Florida woman, Sabrina Peckham, was arrested by Pinellas County authorities on July 14 at around 6.30 am for trespassing onto a county wetland just half a mile from where she was discovered dead on Friday, September 22, as per the New York Post.
She apparently disregarded posted warnings about illegal entry. Peckham, who was sentenced to pay $500, was set free on September 8 after entering a plea of no contest to the misdemeanor.
Did the alligator really kill the Florida woman Sabrina Peckham?
As of now, investigators are still attempting to figure out if the alligator actually killed Sabrina Peckham. Her whereabouts between the arrest and being found dead in the canal remains unknown.
However, records reveal she has a history of encounters with law enforcement going back to 2014, including repeated trespassing charges. In the past, Peckman has also faced counts of drug and theft.
Who was the first one to spot the massive 14-foot alligator?
The first person to see the 14-foot male alligator carrying a body was JaMarcus Bullard who was on his way to a job interview. He immediately called the nearby fire station after witnessing the horrifying incident.
"It (the alligator) lifted up out of the water with the body, like it was just clamped onto it, and it like swam backwards, like, under to the bottom of the canal to the other side," said Bullard, adding, "I just couldn't believe it was real," to CBS affiliate WTSP.
Authorities claimed to have "humanely killed" the large reptile, with locals claiming that emergency personnel pulled it from the water and shot it three times.
The area is close to the well-liked Ridgecrest Park, which has a 5-acre lake rumored to be infested with alligators.
According to residents, the neighborhood is frequently visited by alligators, but the one killed on Friday was among the biggest they had ever seen.
