Father Watches Helplessly as 10-Year-Old Daughter is Snatched by Crocodile

A father in Indonesia watched powerlessly as a crocodile snatched his 10-year-old daughter in its mouth and dragged her under water, officials said.

The girl was fishing in the river with her father and brother in East Nusatenggara province when the reptile suddenly sprang up from the water and pulled her in, the Jakarta Post reported Saturday. She is presumed to be dead.

"Juraida was seized when she was in about a half-meter of water at the river’s mouth,” Lembata Deputy Regent Viktor Mado Waton told the newspaper.

“Her father and brother could only watch helplessly,” he said.

A rescue team was later deployed but only found a dress and hair ribbon in the sound, the Post reported.

Local residents reported seeing several crocodiles near the area a few days before the incident, according to the newspaper.

Walton said a similar incident took place last year. The victim was not seen again.