ASTOR, Fla. -- A large alligator trapped a 15-year-old girl in a tree for more than a half-hour before being shot dead by a deputy, authorities said.

  • Teen girl trapped in tree for more than half hour, deputies say
  • Girl was on raft in creek when 10-foot gator approached
  • Deputy shot gator dead; no one hurt in incident

A 35-year-old man from Titusville called Lake County deputies just before 3 p.m., Friday, to report that his daughter was "trapped in a tree by a large alligator," a Lake County Sheriff's report said.

When the deputy got to the location, known as "Freak Creek," he said he heard a female screaming for help and a "loud hissing." An alligator was in the water about 3 feet from the base of the tree.

The teen had been in a raft in the water when she was approached by the estimated 10- to 11-foot alligator, the report said. She reached a tree by the water but couldn't make it to the shore line, so she climbed the tree to stay safe until someone could help her.

The deputy fired a single round from his AR-15 rifle, killing the gator, the report said.

No one was hurt in the incident.