Boy, 8, sees pet eaten by gator

A HORRIFIED eight-year-old boy watched as his pet turtle disappeared into an alligator's jaws at a Florida aquarium.

Colton Guthrie had donated his pet red-eared slider, Tomalina, to the Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach when the turtle outgrew her home aquarium. His mother said the family saw workers place Tomalina in an exhibit last week with other red-eared sliders and an alligator.

Although the alligator had long ignored the turtles, Brenda Guthrie said it ate Tomalina as Colton shouted: "Let it go!"

The Gulfarium has apologised to the Guthries.