INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Disney Alligator Attack: Graves Family Explains Why They Won’t Sue

By Effie Orfanides
Published on: 05:23 PST, Jul 20, 2016

The Disney alligator attack that claimed the life of 2-year-old Lane Graves is still on the minds of many people these days. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the child was wading in the shallow waters on the beach area at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa when an alligator came up onto the sand and grabbed him. Despite a heroic effort by Lane’s father, Matt, the child was dragged into the Seven Seas Lagoon.

After an overnight search and the euthanizing of several gators caught in the area, Lane Graves’ body was found. The Nebraska family has been understandably devastated by this tragedy, burying their little boy after what was supposed to be a happy-memory-making vacation.

The Disney alligator attack has prompted a lot of chatter about what the Graves family would do when it came to holding someone responsible. Since there weren’t any alligator signs posted at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at the time of the attack, many people felt that the family had every right to sue the Walt Disney World Company. However, the Graves family has decided that they won’t be filing a lawsuit and, according to People Magazine, they have released a statement about their decision.

“Melissa and I are broken. We will solely be focused on the future health of our family and will not be pursuing a lawsuit against Disney. We will forever struggle to comprehend why this happened to our sweet baby, Lane. As each day passes, the pain gets worse, but we truly appreciate the outpouring of sympathy and warm sentiments we have received from around the world. We know that we can never have Lane back, and therefore, we intend to keep his spirit alive through the Lane Thomas Foundation. It is our hope that through the foundation we will be able to share with others the unimaginable love Lane etched in our hearts. For now, we continue to ask for privacy as we focus on our family,” Matt Graves said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The Disney alligator attack has lead to a few statements from the Walt Disney World Company, their most recent stating that the company is supporting the family through this difficult time.

“In the wake of this tragic accident we continue to provide ongoing support for the family, which includes honoring their request for privacy,” said the president of Walt Disney World Resorts, George A. Kalogridis.

Although neither the company nor the Graves family have made it clear, many believe that the Graves family was given a cash settlement and this is the reason that they’ve decided not to sue. This is speculation, however, and hasn’t been confirmed, according to the New York Daily News.

Following the Disney alligator attack, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has installed a fence along the popular beach area and has put of signs warning of alligators in the lagoon.

The beach area where Lane Graves was killed has since been reopened. Officials say that the alligator involved in the attack has been caught and euthanized.

Lane Graves was laid to rest on June 21 in his hometown of Elkhorn, Nebraska. His family continues to grieve the loss as they try their best to get back to their everyday routine. The Graves also have a daughter, Ella, who was believed to be playing with Lane at the time of the alligator attack; she was unharmed.

[Image via Orange County Sheriff’s Office]

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