Autopsy Shows Alligator Attack Severely Dismembered Florida Hiker
An autopsy revealed that Brittany Clark suffered near-total loss of both arms and teeth marks on her bones after a 13-foot alligator attacked her in Central Florida.
Brittany Clark, a 31-year-old hiker, was killed during a June 28 excursion in Little Big Econ State Forest, Central Florida, when a 13-foot alligator attacked her. The following morning, Associate Medical Examiner Jenaye L. Mack conducted an autopsy in Orlando, concluding that Clark died from multiple blunt-force injuries that resulted in near-complete traumatic amputation of her left arm at the shoulder and her right distal forearm.
The examination also uncovered alligator teeth marks on her left clavicle, scapula and ventral arm. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission confirmed that a nearby gator, later killed by trappers, matched DNA evidence from the scene. The manner of death was ruled an accident. The case highlights the dangers of wildlife encounters in Florida’s natural areas.
Why it matters
The findings detail the extreme danger of alligator attacks and underscore wildlife management challenges in Florida.
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