By now, you've probably heard that a toddler by the name of Lane Graves was recently captured by an alligator and henceforth dragged to his death. All of this happened while he was visiting the supposed "happiest place on earth." It was around 9:30 pm when the boy was playing near the Grand Floridian's man-made Lagoon, which was marked with a "no swimming" sign. Lane's parents had accompanied him to the lagoon, where Lane splashed in ankle-deep water. The problem arose when he waded deeper into the lagoon--his parents were not able to save him as the alligator dragged him beneath the dark, rippling waves.
There is much speculation as to who is at fault: is it Lane's parents, who let him enter the water despite having taken notice of the sign? Or, could it have been the resort, which failed to take action aside from attempting to get a lifeguard to wrestle the alligator and save the boy?
There is blame on both sides, but one side deserves more blame than it may get.
The Graves family had traveled all the way from Nebraska to take a vacation at Disney. Nebraska. As in, no alligators, no palm trees, and probably not too many lagoons. The people shaming the Graves parents for not parenting correctly and being ''bad parents" need to take a few steps back. My initial reaction, too, was to say that they were terrible parents--until I realized what the resort had failed to do. The resort had already known that alligators live in the lagoon. They had already fished out four or five of them, going as far as to say that they "routinely" drag the alligators out. What?! So you literally don't tell your guests that the MAN-MADE lagoon you offer them has alligators living in it? And you pack the beach with lawn chairs and marshmallow-roasting events regardless of the fact that alligators live on both land and in water?
Handfuls of parents came out of the woodwork to show support and empathy for the Graves parents, telling their own stories of safely splashing in that very lagoon and walking that very beach. They said that they, themselves would've never dreamed of alligators living in that lagoon because of the lack of proper warning and the sheer fact that they had been safe when playing in the lagoon.
If a resort does not make its guests aware of threats to their safety on resort property--and act as if the area is more than safe--how are the guests supposed to actually be safe? They aren't.
I am not saying Lane should have been playing in the lagoon. Especially at 9:30 at night, when there was a clear "no swimming sign". But those signs usually don't signify imminent death; they usually just exist because there is no lifeguard on duty. But this was different. Should the parents have probably listened to the sign? Yes. But, when you come from across the country, from a different physical climate, you don't expect what someone accustomed to the environment might. In the end, even if you think they're bad parents, you aren't the one who watched your kid drown at the hand of an alligator.
