Alligator found in Detroit home being moved to Florida Woman finds alligator in son’s bedroom
DETROIT – After a Detroit woman’s son died, she found an alligator in his bedroom.
The woman called Mark Rosenthal of Animal Magic on Nov. 18 for help.
Background --> Detroit woman buried her son this weekend. Then she found an alligator in his bedroom
Rosenthal went to the Detroit home and found the alligator in a six-foot aquarium, with no room to move. He then brought the alligator, now named “Navi-gator,” to the sanctuary.
Navi-gator is now moving to a sanctuary in Florida. Rosenthal joined Local 4 Live with the gator to talk about the journey. You can watch the full interview at the top of this article.
Copyright 2025 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.
About the Authors Jay Scott Smith headshot
Jay Scott Smith is an award-winning veteran broadcaster, journalist, anchor, and writer with more than 20 years of professional experience. But above all, he is proud to be from Detroit.
Samantha Sayles headshot
Samantha Sayles is an Oakland University alumna who’s been writing Michigan news since 2022. Before joining the ClickOnDetroit team, she wrote stories for WILX in Lansing and WEYI in Flint.
Ran laps around a Milan hotel room thinking the power was out -- It was not. ▶ 0:45
Ran laps around a Milan hotel room thinking the power was out -- It was not.
Did you know this about Michigan Humane? ▶ 0:48
Did you know this about Michigan Humane?
NAACP Detroit calls on Congress to halt ICE funding ▶ 0:28
NAACP Detroit calls on Congress to halt ICE funding
'National Shutdown' planned over ICE killings ▶ 1:03
'National Shutdown' planned over ICE killings
Trying the Josh & Jase special ▶ 1:45
Trying the Josh & Jase special
Weather disrupts Oakland County funeral transport ▶ 0:26
Weather disrupts Oakland County funeral transport
Americans' life expectancy climbs to 79 years ▶ 0:27
Americans' life expectancy climbs to 79 years
Don't get out of the car if you're stranded ▶ 0:27
Don't get out of the car if you're stranded
Crews battle apartment fire in Southfield ▶ 1:06
Crews battle apartment fire in Southfield
SB I-75 at 7 Mile reopens following multi-car crash ▶ 1:12
SB I-75 at 7 Mile reopens following multi-car crash
Detroit renters left without running water for weeks ▶ 1:27
Detroit renters left without running water for weeks
Detroit faces 50+ water main breaks in freezing temps ▶ 1:01
Detroit faces 50+ water main breaks in freezing temps
Donkey on the loose in Oakland County ▶ 0:41
Donkey on the loose in Oakland County
Ann Arbor joins Sterling Heights in opposing ICE ▶ 1:06
Ann Arbor joins Sterling Heights in opposing ICE
Detroit home fully engulfed in flames ▶ 0:51
Detroit home fully engulfed in flames
Snow squall moves through Downtown Detroit ▶ 0:54
Snow squall moves through Downtown Detroit
Crews respond to water main breaks across Detroit ▶ 0:44
Crews respond to water main breaks across Detroit
Breaking down new NIL rules for Michigan high school sports_copy ▶ 2:44
Breaking down new NIL rules for Michigan high school sports_copy
Jury selection begins in Dale Warner murder trial ▶ 1:15
Jury selection begins in Dale Warner murder trial
Water main break on on Barlow in Detroit ▶ 1:27
Water main break on on Barlow in Detroit
Are you using AI to grocery shop? ▶ 0:32
Are you using AI to grocery shop?
Water main break on Rosemont in Detroit ▶ 3:06
Water main break on Rosemont in Detroit
Detroit mayor lays out plan to help seniors ▶ 0:33
Detroit mayor lays out plan to help seniors
Water main break floods Detroit neighborhood ▶ 1:25
Water main break floods Detroit neighborhood
DTW crash sparks questions about terminal security ▶ 1:16
DTW crash sparks questions about terminal security
Previous photo Next photo