Florida Woman Killed in Fatal Alligator Attack While Canoeing in Lake Kissimmee

An alligator swimming in Florida

A woman was killed last month in a tragic alligator attack in Polk County, Florida, after a massive reptile overturned a canoe she was sharing with her husband and dragged her underwater, state officials confirmed.

The incident occurred on May 6 near the mouth of Tiger Creek at Lake Kissimmee in Central Florida. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), an 11-foot, 4-inch alligator attacked 61-year-old Cynthia Diekema of Davenport, part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven metropolitan area.

Just after 4 p.m. local time, FWC officers and Polk County Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of an alligator incident involving two individuals in the water. A preliminary investigation revealed that Cynthia and her husband were canoeing when they encountered the alligator, causing the vessel to capsize.

Officials reported that Cynthia was immediately bitten on the torso. Despite her husband's attempts to save her, the alligator performed a death roll and swam off with her. Her body was later recovered by authorities.

A state-contracted nuisance alligator trapper captured and euthanized the animal believed to be responsible for the attack. As of June 26, the case remained under investigation.

Diekema’s obituary describes her as a woman who "radiated her inner and outer beauty in all she did and had unconditional love for everyone." She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Dave; daughters Jessica Henry and Megan Straka; and two grandchildren, Elena and Jack Henry.