Woman's body found in alligator's mouth in Texas, Houston police say

CLEAR LAKE, Texas -- The body of a woman was found in the jaws of an alligator Tuesday morning in the greater Houston area.

Houston police were searching for a woman reported missing when they found a human remains along the banks of Horsepen Bayou near El Dorado and Park Estates. An HPD sergeant fatally shot the alligator to prevent it from doing more damage to the body.

A neighbor shared a couple of photographs with ABC13 of the law enforcement response.

In a statement to ABC Houston affiliate KTRK, Maggie Berger, a spokesperson for the Law Enforcement Division with Texas Parks and Wildlife wrote, "On May 28, Texas Game Wardens provided assistance to the Houston Police Department (HPD) in the recovery of human remains found near an alligator. The woman's cause of death has not been determined. HPD is currently investigating the incident and will be the lead agency moving forward. Our thoughts are with the woman's family during this time."

An autopsy will determine how the woman died. Houston police homicide investigators have been assigned the case.

"They live down there. We see 8 feet, 10 feet babies. I know which banks to stay away from and where they like to lay in the sun," Angela Derous, after fishing in the bayou Tuesday night, said. "That's the first time I've heard of that happening down here. It's a little scary."

Fatal alligator attacks are very rare in Texas. The last one was in Orange in 2015. A 28-year-old man was killed while swimming in Adams Bayou. It was the first fatal attack in more than 90 years.