But the parents allowed a 2 year old to wade in the water where a sign says No Swimming. Apparently not well supervised either.
Per witnesses, Dad was RIGHT there, close enough that he tried to get the alligator to release its grip and got injured himself. It's a matter of semantics, but the sign said No Swimming, not stay out of the water completely. There are many reasons for No Swimming signs including bacteria in the water, sharp drop offs, and unseen currents. It was just a convergence of events that ended in tragedy.