After bringing a wrongful death lawsuit, the family of an elderly event planner killed by an alligator on posh Hilton Head Island received an undisclosed compensation.
On July 4, 2023, Holly Jenkins, 69, was killed by a 10-foot alligator while taking her dog for a stroll close to her South Carolina island house.
Her husband, Justin, and son discovered her body in one of the local community ponds, where houses can fetch up to $10 million.
That morning, she left her 45-year-married husband’s house to take their dog for a walk around the neighbourhood.
Around eight in the morning, her husband and son discovered the family dog in the backyard on its leash, but “Holly was nowhere to be found,” according to the lawsuit.
According to the lawsuit, after discovering her face down in one of the ponds, they called 911 as her son tried to “distract the alligator” to keep it away from his mother.
Although she was declared dead at the scene, the complaint claimed that the animal’s initial attack—which resulted in her euthanasia—did not kill her.
Her hand and foot were discovered inside the beast’s stomach during a necropsy. She was called “cautious” in the lawsuit, which also cautioned young families about the risks.
On July 4, 2023, Holly Jenkins, 69, was killed by a 10-foot alligator while taking her dog for a stroll close to her South Carolina island house.
Following the July 2023 event, officials can be seen here on the scene.
The Spanish Wells Club, GW Services Inc., and the Spanish Wells Property Owners Association were identified as defendants in the lawsuit that her family filed.
Her family filed a lawsuit alleging that the defendants’ failure to remove alligators from the region contributed to her “gruesome” death.
Her family also mentioned the absence of signs alerting the community to the risks posed by the gator population.
The lawsuit cited a 2016 communication to homeowners from the local property management team stating that a “large alligator” had been observed.
The email stated that the Spanish Wells Club was taking “proper measures” and urged residents to keep a watch.
However, the lawsuit claims that special tags—which are given out to permit the slaughter of the animals—were “woefully underestimated” and that sightings actually rose in the years that followed.
The three defendants offered to settle in order to “buy their peace from litigation,” according to a settlement document submitted this week. There was no disclosure of the amount given.
When The Island Packet met with Jessica Fickling, one of the lawyers representing her family in the case, she refused to provide specifics about the sum.
During the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament on Friday, April 17, 2026, at Hilton Head, an alligator is spotted close to the 11th hole.
Although she was declared dead at the scene, the lawsuit claimed that she was not killed by the animal’s initial attack before it was put to death.
“I think what we’re trying to promote and shed some light on is that there is some collective responsibility, so when things like this happen, we should be looking at what could have been done to prevent it,” she stated. “As lawyers who are frequently working with families on their very worst day, some of what we hear from the other side is often about the unforeseen nature of something or personal accountability.”
“Holly’s legacy will forever live on in our hearts,” stated an obituary for Jenkins. Her influence on the neighbourhood will live on.
Although her love and energy will always lead us, her absence leaves a vacuum in our lives. As we cherish her in our hearts, may she rest in eternal peace.
Since 2018, alligators in Beaufort County, where Jenkins resided, have murdered three people.
According to The Island Packet, most of the accidents are caused by people walking their dogs close to ponds or lagoons.
