The man saw the woman’s torso in the alligator’s mouth. She Was ‘Momentarily’ Freed Before Animals Attacked Again And Bathed With Her

YOU NEED TO KNOW

• Cynthia Diekema, 61, was canoeing with her husband last year when she collided with an alligator in their canoe and both fell into the water, according to a report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission recently obtained by PEOPLE.

• During the attack, he said his wife appeared alert, but could not speak and had a “confused look on her face”.

• Her cause of death was listed as “multiple blunt force injuries from an alligator,” according to the report.

New details have emerged about an alligator attack that claimed the life of a 61-year-old woman as her husband fought to save her life.

On May 6, around 4:02 pm local time, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to an alligator encounter near the mouth of Tiger Creek in Polk County.

The woman, later identified as Cynthia Diekema, was canoeing with her husband when they encountered the reptile and both fell into the water, the FWC later shared.

The 11ft 4in alligator then bit Cynthia and pulled her into the water before she was “later found dead”.

Nearly eight months after the attack, a summary incident report from the FWC, obtained by PEOPLE through a public records request, revealed additional information about what happened on that horrific day.

In a sworn statement to authorities, David Diekema, Cynthia’s husband, said he and his wife were traveling in an 11-foot plastic canoe that left Lake Kissimmee State Park earlier that day.

Once they entered the shallow waters of Tiger Creek, David says they observed several alligators — and just before the attack, his wife commented on how “they were going to walk right over one,” according to the report.

As soon as the canoe collided with the animal, which was resting on the bottom of the creek, the frightened animal began to thrash, according to the report, which caused the canoe to overturn and send the couple into the water.

When he was able to stand up, David said he saw Cynthia’s torso in the alligator’s mouth.

According to the officials, he said that he “tried to free her from the alligator’s mouth for several minutes,” but he did not succeed.

During the trial, he said his wife appeared alert, but could not speak and had a “confused look on her face.”

At one point, the alligator lashed its tail, knocking David off his feet, according to the report. At that time, he also said that the alligator “momentarily freed” his wife before biting her again on the shoulder.

After regaining his balance, he tried once more to free his wife from the alligator’s mouth, however the alligator then “led a death roll and immediately swam away with Mrs. Diekema in its mouth.”

Knowing that time was of the essence, David — who lost his phone during the ordeal — freed as much water as he could from the canoe and paddled north up Tiger Creek until he reached Lake Kissimmee, according to the report. There he was rescued by a good Samaritan in an airboat.

About 20 minutes into their search, FWC recovered Cynthia’s body and EMS pronounced her dead at the scene. The alligator was caught and euthanized at around 7:30 pm local time that same day.

A coroner later performed an autopsy and shared their findings with the FWC, detailing numerous injuries, including the amputation of her right arm below the shoulder.

They stated that the preliminary cause of Cynthia’s death was “multiple blunt force injuries from an alligator” and the manner of death was ruled an “accident,” according to the report.

The day after the incident, investigators returned to the scene to find any other alligators that were involved in the attack and to capture potentially dangerous ones in the Tiger Creek area. One alligator was dispatched by an officer and went on an airboat bound for Kissimmee Park. No other gators were located.

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“The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the department said in an earlier statement.

Cynthia was from Paw Paw, Mich., and is survived by her husband David, two children and two grandchildren, according to her obituary.

“She radiated her inner and outer beauty in everything she did and had unconditional love for everyone,” read the obituary. “She cherished her family and every moment and adventure they spent together.”

Read the original article on People