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Summer Hinote, a 15-year-old teenager, was attacked by a crocodile measuring over three meters while swimming in a stream in the northwest of Florida, and it has been a miracle that she can tell the tale.
The animal bit her, violently shook her, and dragged her underwater several times, according to her own account in statements to the local press.
The incident, now made public, occurred on June 22 in Pond Creek, in Okaloosa County, in the area known as the Florida Panhandle.
Hinote managed to survive thanks to his quick reaction and the help of a friend who witnessed the scene.
The attack
According to the Walton County Sheriff's Office, the alligator attacked suddenly and violently, but Hinote fought with all his strength to free himself.
Summer was splashing in the water up to her waist with her friends when she felt a strange sensation on her leg.
“At first, I didn't know what it was, so I turned my body and started hitting it on the head”, the young woman recounted in statements to FOX 35 Orlando.
However, by then, the animal had already latched onto his leg, biting it fiercely and pulling him underwater.
"He let me go and then grabbed me again, dragging me underwater and shaking me," he recounted.
“I started hitting him on the head with all my strength. He let go of me and grabbed me again,” he recalled.
El reptil la soltaba solo para ajustar mejor su mordida.
"Every time I was let go, I would run upwards and out of the water," added the teenager, who emphasized her desperate attempt to reach the shore.
The rescue
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Summer managed to escape with the help of a friend who reacted quickly upon seeing her injured. “I asked one of my friends if my leg was still there,” she said through tears.
"He told me, 'You’re okay, it’s not that serious, but you need to get up. It’s coming up behind you.'"
Summer's friend picked her up in his arms, and while also helping another girl from the group, he ran with them along the bank of the stream until they reached a higher area where the alligator couldn't follow them.
Immediately, the young woman called her mother, Shree Hinote, to tell her what had happened.
Shree did not hesitate to jump into his truck and rush to the location. Upon finding his daughter, he placed her in the back of the vehicle and drove to meet the rescuers, who urgently transported her to a nearby hospital.
The consequences
Summer suffered serious injuries to her leg, but thanks to the prompt medical attention she received, the doctors were able to prevent amputation.
According to CBS News, experts estimate that the alligator measured at least 10 feet (over 3 meters), based on the size of the wounds.
“The young woman is expected to recover,” authorities stated, although she still faces a long process of physical and emotional rehabilitation.
A dangerous season
The attack on Summer Hinote occurred during one of the most critical times of the year for the wildlife of Florida's wetlands.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) explained that between late June and early July, female alligators typically lay their eggs in nests that they then protect with great aggression.
Although the mating season ends in mid-June, both males and females can maintain territorial behaviors while monitoring the nests.
The incubation of the eggs lasts between 60 and 68 days, which means that during this time, the caimans are particularly active and potentially aggressive towards any nearby human presence.
Local authorities remind residents and visitors in Florida to exercise caution when in freshwater bodies, especially during the nesting season.
"Encounters with alligators are rare, but when they do happen, they can be devastating," said representatives of the FWC.
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