Woman drowns after petting alligator

The AP's Jeffrey Collins reports a story that gets stranger with each sentence: a woman in South Carolina who was doing someone's nails, went outside after spotting an alligator, petted it, then got pulled into the water and drowned while saying I guess I wont do this again.

Cynthia Covert, 58, died of drowning before Charleston County deputies and firefighters were able to shoot and kill the alligator and use poles to get her out of the pond, authorities said.

Covert came to Kiawah Island, a gated community southeast of Charleston, to give the homeowner a manicure Friday, according to the police report.

The woman told deputies Covert typically was professional in her salon, but was relaxed and excited at the home, talking about her boyfriends visit from Tennessee, and brought a glass of wine with her.

South Carolina's first recorded death by alligator, according to the AP. Poor choice of emotional support animal. Read the rest