10-year-old girl prises open alligator’s mouth to free leg in Florida lake attack

A 10 year old girl pried open an alligator’s mouth and freed her leg after the animal attacked her during a swimming trip.

The child was about 10 feet away from the shore of Lake Mary Jane, near Orlando, Florida, when the 8-foot-9 inch alligator struck, snapping its teeth into her leg.

Despite the pain, the girl managed to pry its mouth open and remove her leg before her family members rushed in to help.

She was treated for wounds to her knee and lower thigh after they rushed her to a nearby hospital.

“She had puncture wounds but I don’t think they’re life threatening”, said Chad Weber, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservative Commission (FWC).

Shortly after the incident, the alligator was caught and removed from the lake by a trapper.

Matt Sudermeyer, manager of the region’s parks, told The Orlando Sentinel officials would be conducting an extensive review before “making any decisions on opening the waterfront”.