Story at a glance
- Cynthia Covert, 58, drowned after she was dragged underwater by the alligator.
- She was on a house call, as nail salons have been closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
- The witness told authorities Covert was fascinated by the animal and fell in the pond after trying to touch the alligator.
A woman who was killed in an alligator attack last week in South Carolina was visiting a client for an in-home nail appointment when she was drawn to a nearby pond and yanked into the water by the animal, according to NBC News.
Authorities say Cynthia Covert, 58, drowned after the alligator grabbed a hold of her leg and pulled her underwater multiple times.
Our country is in a historic fight. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.
As nail salons have been closed under state orders due to the coronavirus outbreak, authorities said Covert visited the Kiawah Island home of Barbara Howell on Friday to give the woman a manicure.
Howell told investigators Covert was acting strange and speaking more than she does at the nail salon where she works.
“She saw the alligator in the pond and was fascinated,” Howell told police.
The witness told authorities that after completing the manicure, Covert began taking pictures of the reptile from a porch.
“Barbara stated that she was cleaning up the porch when she noticed Covert down by the water,” Detective Keith Herriott of the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a report.
“Barbara yelled to Covert that the alligator grabbed a deer the other day from that spot, and Covert replied ‘I don’t look like a deer’ then moved to touch the alligator,” Herriott said.
Covert fell into the water at some point, and when she resurfaced, the homeowners tossed her a rope she was able to grab ahold of. But moments later, the alligator struck, dragging her underwater.
When deputies and firefighters arrived on the scene, the water was calm, but after 10 or 15 minutes the woman’s body emerged with the alligator still clamped onto her leg, Herriott said. A deputy shot the animal and it let go of the woman.
Authorities said the cause of death was drowning and it was ruled accidental.
It’s the third deadly alligator attack in South Carolina in the past four years, NBC reports.
BREAKING NEWS ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
WHO: THERE’S NO EVIDENCE WEARING A MASK WILL PROTECT YOU FROM CORONAVIRUS
HERE’S WHEN THE CORONAVIRUS WILL PEAK IN YOUR STATE
FAUCI PREDICTS ANOTHER CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN THE FALL WITH A ‘VERY DIFFERENT’ OUTCOME
BILL GATES SEES RNA VACCINES AS BEST OPTION FOR QUICK CORONAVIRUS TREATMENT
NEW REPORT SAYS CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC COULD LAST UP TO 2 YEARS
changing america copyright.
