Florida teen fights off alligator that dragged her underwater

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for July 15

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com.

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A teenager in Florida was attacked by a 10-foot alligator and survived after fighting back.

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office said 15-year-old Summer Hinote was bitten by the alligator on her leg. The alligator took her underwater and was shaking her violently, she told local FOX 35.

“I just started punching it in the head as hard as I could. And he had let go and and then grabbed me again,” Hinote said. “And the second time that he let go and grabbed me, he had drug me underneath the water. And he like shook my leg around.”

The incident happened in Pond Creek, Florida, on June 22 about 25 miles away from Destin.

ALLIGATOR MAULS WOMAN CANOEING AS FLORIDA URGES VACATIONERS TO AVOID DISASTER WITH SAFETY TIPS

Summer Hinote fought back when an alligator bit her in Pond Creek, Florida, on June 22, 2025. (FOX 35)

The teenager said she was swimming when she “felt something brush up against me.”

TWO SHARK ATTACKS REPORTED IN SEPARATE VACATION HOTSPOTS AS SUMMER BEACH SEASON STARTS

Summer Hinote is expected to survive after she was attacked by an alligator. (FOX 35)

Hinote said that at one point, the alligator let go of her just to get a better grip.

“Whenever he let go, I had started running up. And I had gotten up out of the water,” she said.

Basking American alligators in the Everglades.  (Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Hinote was able to break free of the alligator’s control with a friend’s help.

The teenager’s leg suffered severe injuries, but it did not need to be amputated, officials said. 

Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and on Twitter @asabes10.