A woman was dragged under water and drowned by an alligator after she waded into a pond to touch it.
Cynthia Covert was said to be calm as the animal gripped on to her body, while rescuers used a rope to help her to safety.
She told those trying to pull her out "I guess I won't be doing this again", seconds before the alligator started to begin a death roll.
The animal pulled her under the waist-deep water on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, US.
About 10 to 15 minutes later her dead body floated to the surface, but as emergency crews who had since arrived went to her aid, they realised the alligator still had hold of her leg.
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A few moments later the animal resurfaced again and was shot in the head, killing it and releasing Ms Covert's body, which was later recovered.
Charleston County Coroner Rae Wooten said the 57-year-old died on Friday and listed her cause of death as drowning,
Kiawah Island Mayor Craig Weaver called the incident a “horrible tragedy” which was entirely preventable.
“This was not a random act by an alligator to aggressively attack a person in an unprovoked situation."
A police report said Ms Covert had arrived at her friend's home near the pond to have her nails done.
The friend said Ms Covert had become fascinated by the alligator after spotting it from her porch, and began to take photos of it.
A few moments later, as the friend was tidying up, she noticed the woman had gone down to the water and started to wade out.
The friend screamed out, telling Ms Covert that she had seen the alligator eat a deer in recent days.
But the Ms Covert seemed unconcerned adding: "I don’t look like a deer.”
It was then she was grabbed by the animal.
