“It would be my goal afterwards to kill every gator I could find.”
Sure, but it would be much easier and practical to just ensure the safety of the kids. “I don’t know where my kids went” is NOT a valid excuse. That is like leaving your kid in a hot car. “Durr aah dint no”
Not knowing the specifics but I would guess that the child was with the parents but that they were just close to the water. The gator would have targeted the smaller animal that could not give it as much of a fight.
Since the parents leapt right on it before it could escape they must have been right there with the youngster.
If they are from Nebraska they likely never even considered such a thing
happening.
BTW, regarding hot cars and kids. My siblings and myself——who eventually numbered eight——were left in the car many times as kids. We were resident in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri,Virginia and five summers south of Phoenix. We never had a home with AC and certainly never had a car with one.
We may have perspired in the car but never expired. What could have been the difference back then as opposed to now? From listening to and reading journalchimp scribblers and babblers none of us should have survived.