Woman brings alligator to hotel for birthday photo shoot in Florida

Authorities in Florida recovered a juvenile alligator after it was stolen by a woman who wanted to take pictures with it on her birthday while keeping her in a bathtub of the hotel where she was staying, according to the incident report.  

The alligator was taken from a place where the woman Madison Stephan previously worked, according to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Fox News reported that an FWC officer was dispatched to the Grove Resort and Water Park in Winter Garden after the Orange County Sheriff's Office requested assistance in dealing with a young alligator that Stephan was keeping inside the hotel bathroom.

The woman told the authorities that she was employed at Croc Encounters in Tampa and "borrowed" the alligator without permission to bring to the hotel to take pictures with it for her birthday.

According to the officials, she went to the wildlife facility before it opened and used the keys she still had to nab the alligator. She came back to the hotel and put it in the bathtub.

The woman’s friend told officials that Stephan "had a surprise for her" upon driving to Croc Encounters and snatching the alligator, the incident report noted.

The alligator was cold to the touch from being inside the cold water in the bathtub, the report quoted, citing FWC officials as saying.

Officials also talked to the owner of Croc Encounters, who confirmed that Stephan was an employee there, but not anymore.

The owner stated that she was not an authorised person to be on the property or take the alligator. Moreover, he declined to pursue charges of theft or trespassing.

Stephan was issued a notice to appear in court for possession of the alligator.