State wildlife officials said the woman was bitten Sunday near the Barr Street Trailhead in Geneva.
GENEVA, FL — A 31-year-old woman died Sunday after an alligator bit her while she was swimming in the Little Big Econ River in Seminole County, state wildlife officials said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the attack happened about 1:30 p.m. near the Barr Street Trailhead in Little Big Econ State Forest. The woman was taken to a trauma hospital with serious injuries and later died. Her name had not been released by officials late Sunday.
Seminole County Fire Department crews were called to the river after reports that a woman had been bitten. A fire department spokesperson said the woman had been swimming with friends when the alligator attacked. The area is in Geneva, near Oviedo, along a stretch of the Econlockhatchee River system that draws hikers, paddlers and other outdoor visitors.
FWC officers, Seminole County deputies and fire crews responded to the scene. The wildlife agency said a contracted nuisance alligator trapper also was sent to the area. FWC described the case as an “active and ongoing investigation,” and officials had not said Sunday night whether the alligator had been captured.
The attack happened inside Little Big Econ State Forest, a public recreation area with access to the Florida National Scenic Trail and the Econlockhatchee River Paddling Trail. The Barr Street Trailhead is one of the main access points for the forest. The river winds through wooded floodplain, sandy banks and shaded trails in eastern Seminole County.
The death followed a string of reported alligator bites in Central Florida. Local reports said a child was bitten Saturday at Nelson’s Fish Camp in Umatilla, and the Rainbow River was closed after an alligator bit a snorkeler on June 21. WFTV reported that Sunday’s death was the first confirmed deadly alligator attack in Central Florida since 2-year-old Lane Graves was killed at Walt Disney World in 2016.
State wildlife officials say serious alligator injuries are rare, but Florida has tracked hundreds of unprovoked alligator bites since 1948. FWC’s Statewide Nuisance Alligator Program removes alligators that are considered a threat to people, pets or property. The agency had not released more details about the size of the alligator or the exact place in the river where the bite occurred.
Investigators had not announced any criminal or civil findings in the case Sunday. The next steps are expected to include witness interviews, a review of the emergency response and efforts by wildlife officers and the trapper to identify the alligator involved. Officials had not announced a news conference or a timeline for releasing the woman’s identity.
The area around the trailhead drew a multiagency response as crews worked near the river and investigators gathered information. No other injuries were reported. Officials had not released statements from the woman’s friends or family, and no witness accounts had been made public by late Sunday.
The investigation remained open Sunday night, with FWC leading the wildlife review and Seminole County agencies assisting at the scene. The next major update is expected when officials release the woman’s name or say whether the alligator was found.
Author note: Last updated June 28, 2026.