The body of a missing Florida woman [VIDEO] was found on Saturday (June 9), according to the Sacramento Bee. The woman, identified as 47-year-old Shizuka Matsuki, was last seen on Friday morning walking her dogs near Silver Lakes Rotary nature park in Davie, Florida. Minutes later, Matsuki was nowhere to be found, and the dogs, one of which was injured, were alone. The man who witnessed the event later informed the police.
Detective Viviana Gallinal said that when the witness had gone to the area where he thought he had seen them walking, he immediately spotted an alligator.
The 12ft 6in alligator, which was suspected to have attacked Matsuki, was captured and killed by officials.
A necropsy was performed on the animal, and a human arm was found in its stomach. A tattoo on the arm confirmed that it had belonged to the victim. Search parties were then able to enter the lake, where they located the woman's body.
Jeff Polhman, Davie’s Assistant Director of Parks, told local newspaper, Sun Sentinel, that trappers had been previously hired to capture the alligator, but were unsuccessful.
Neighbors said that they had made complaints about the alligators before, and had lost Pets who roamed near to the lake.
Alligator email alert sent before attack
Prior to the attack, an email alert was sent to residents of a waterfront community, where the victim lived.
The Isla del Sol Homeowners Association, which issued the warning, urged residents to be cautious, keeping in mind that alligators and other wildlife may be around.
The alert was sent after one of Matsuki's neighbors had spotted and photographed a 6-foot gator sitting at her front door. The gator was caught, but residents were still warned to be careful.
Whether or not Matsuki received the email alert is unclear.
Neighbors stated that Matsuki would walk her three dogs every morning as a part of her exercise routine. One neighbor, Peter Limia, said both Matsuki and her husband would frequently walk the dogs within the gated community. It was also not unusual for her to go near the Silver Lakes Rotary Nature Park lake in Davie.
Reactions to woman's death
Limia describes the event as a tragedy. Statements have also been made on social media concerning the event.
2/2 On behalf of the Town of Davie, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the family of Shizuka Matsuki. The Town and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission are continuing the investigation and the Silver Lake Rotary Nature Park will remain closed until further notice.
— Town of Davie, FL (@TownofDavie) June 9, 2018
Victim of this tragic incident id'd as Shizuka Matsuki, 47, of Plantation. This is heartbreaking for everyone involved and our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim at this time. https://t.co/dF67p1LcsZ
— MyFWC (@MyFWC) June 8, 2018
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission states in its website's Human Alligator Incidents Fact Sheet that alligators are opportunistic eaters, and will eat what is readily available to them and easily overpowered.
However, between the years of 1948 and 2017, there have been a total of 401 unprovoked alligator bites, 24 of which resulted in fatalities. The chances of an alligator attack on a Florida resident to result in serious injury are said to be roughly about one in 3.2 million.
Still, residents are warned not to allow pets near waters that could possibly contain alligators, and to swim only in daylight hours, as alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
