ORLANDO, Fla. – A body found in a Florida retention pond where divers were searching for a teenager who possibly drowned after an alligator attack did not have any signs of an alligator bite, authorities said Thursday morning at a news conference.
Authorities said a witness initially told them that a teenage boy appeared to be struggling in the water before going underwater, but deputies said the body found was that of a female. The body had no signs of trauma.
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Deputies, wildlife officers and fire-rescue workers began searching the Orlando pond about noon Wednesday.
A witness who lives nearby told deputies the teen had been struggling to stay afloat while yelling, "It bit me," multiple times. The teen eventually went underwater and didn't resurface, he said.
Officials said a small alligator was spotted in the retention pond, but there was no evidence that it was related to a possible drowning.
Marine units were scanning the pond later Wednesday afternoon, while deputies canvased the area checking for missing people.
No residents in the area have been reported missing, authorities said.
