Woman, 69, attacked and killed by alligator while walking her dog

10-foot male alligator ‘guarded’ victim Holly Jenkins’ body, preventing first responders from immediately reaching her

A 69-year-old woman was attacked and killed by an alligator while walking her dog in Hilton Head, South Carolina, authorities say.

The woman was mauled by a 10-foot alligator on the edge of a lagoon in the Spanish Wells community of Hilton Head Island, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said.

First responders weren’t immediately able to reach her as the male animal appeared to be “guarding” her body, the sheriff’s office said.

The Beaufort County coroner identified her as Holly Jenkins, according to WTOC.

The alligator was later removed and euthanised, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources said.

“Rescue efforts were made and an alligator appeared and was guarding the woman, interrupting emergency efforts,” the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said.

The woman’s dog was found nearby unharmed.

Jenkins was a longtime resident of Spanish Wells whose family were visiting at the time of the fatal attack, according to WSAV.

She is the second person to die from an alligator attack in Beaufort County in the past year.

An 88-year-old Sun City woman was attacked by an alligator at a lagoon near her home in August 2022.

In the previous attack the alligator also appeared to guard the victim’s body, authorities said at the time.