need to know
-
Cynthia Diekema, 61, was canoeing with her husband last year when she hit an alligator in the canoe and both fell overboard, according to a recent Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report obtained by PEOPLE.
-
He said throughout the attack his wife looked alert but could not speak and had “a confused look on her face”
-
Her cause of death was listed as “multiple blunt force injuries from alligator,” the report said.
New details have emerged of a crocodile attack that saw the husband of a 61-year-old woman fight to save her life.
At approximately 4:02 pm local time on May 6, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded to an alligator encounter near the mouth of Tiger Creek in Polk County.
The FWC later revealed that the woman, later identified as Cynthia Diekema, was canoeing with her husband when they encountered the reptile and both fell into the water.
The 11-foot-4-inch crocodile then bit Cynthia and dragged her into the water, where she was “later found dead.”
Nearly eight months after the attack, PEOPLE obtained the FWC’s incident summary report through a public records request, which reveals more about the events of that horrific day.
Cynthia’s husband, David Diekema, said in a sworn statement to authorities that he and his wife set off from Lake Kissimmee State Park earlier in the day in an 11-foot plastic canoe.
As they entered the shallow waters of Tiger Creek, David said they observed numerous crocodiles – and just before the attack, his wife commented that they were “just about to crawl over one,” the report said.
Reports say that when the canoe hit the animals resting on the creek bottom, the frightened animals began violently beating them, causing the canoe to capsize and the couple to fall into the water.
When David was able to stand up, he saw Cynthia’s torso in the crocodile’s mouth.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
On May 6, 2025, a canoe was fatally attacked by an alligator in Tiger Creek, Florida.
He said he “tried for several minutes to free her from the alligator’s mouth,” but was unsuccessful, according to officials.
He said his wife seemed alert but unable to speak and had “a confused look on her face” throughout the ordeal.
The crocodile reportedly swung its tail at one point, knocking David down. During that time, he also said the alligator “momentarily released” his wife before biting her shoulder again.
After regaining his balance, he tried again to rescue his wife from the crocodile’s jaws, but the crocodile then “performed a death roll and immediately swam away with Mrs. Dickma in its mouth.”
Knowing that time was of the essence, David, who reportedly lost his phone during the ordeal, fished out as much water as he could from the canoe and paddled north of Tiger Creek until he reached Lake Kissimmee. There he was rescued by a Good Samaritan in a motorboat.
After approximately 20 minutes of searching, the FWC found Cynthia’s body and emergency services pronounced her dead at the scene. The crocodile was captured and euthanized at around 7:30 pm local time that day.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
On May 6, 2025, a Florida woman who was kayaking with her husband was killed by an alligator
The coroner subsequently performed an autopsy and shared their findings with the FWC, detailing her multiple injuries, including the amputation of her right arm below the shoulder.
They said Cynthia’s preliminary cause of death was “multiple blunt force injuries from an alligator,” and the manner of death was ruled “accidental,” the report said.
Investigators returned to the scene the day after the incident to search for other alligators involved in the attack and to capture potentially dangerous alligators in the Tiger Creek area. An officer dispatched an alligator and transferred it to a motorboat bound for Kissimmee Park. No other crocodiles were found.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to get the latest from PEOPLE, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“The FWC extends its deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and friends during this difficult time,” the department said in a previous statement.
Cynthia, who was originally from Paw Paw, Mich., is survived by her husband, David, two children and two grandchildren, according to her obituary.
“She exuded inner and outer beauty in everything she did and had unconditional love for everyone,” the obituary read. “She cherished her family and every moment and adventure they had together.”
Read the original article on People
