A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a three-year-old boy ended up in a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in Cambridgeshire, police said.
Incident Details
Cambridgeshire police reported that officers were called to Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdonshire at 1:24 PM on Thursday regarding an incident involving a three-year-old boy who entered the crocodile enclosure. The child sustained serious injuries and was transported to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where he remains in critical but stable condition.
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Detective Inspector Verity McCann stated, "We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other. At this stage, we are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this distressing incident to understand more about the circumstances."
Investigation and Witness Accounts
Police are investigating whether the child was attacked by the crocodiles. According to The Times, the child was allegedly thrown into the enclosure. A villager, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Press Association that the zoo owner's wife, Tracey Johnson, jumped into the enclosure to rescue the child.
Ben Obese-Jecty, the MP for Huntingdon, said he had been in contact with senior officers and urged the public to refrain from speculation online, noting that this is now a live criminal investigation. "My thoughts are with the young victim and his family during a hugely traumatic and difficult time," he added.
Zoo Response
In a social media statement, Johnsons zoo expressed, "Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today. Out of respect to the family, our tropical house will remain closed until further notice. The rest of the site will remain open as normal."
Pete Lewis, a visitor at the time, told The Telegraph: "I did see the boy being carried out. It appeared that staff or members of the public had gone into the enclosure to rescue the boy and almost certainly prevented further injury." He recounted that someone entered the tea room seeking help, saying a boy had fallen into the crocodile water. Staff quickly responded, and a man carried the child to a trailer for first aid.
A local person informed The Sun that the boy suffered a broken pelvis and a broken arm but was not actually attacked by the crocodile.
Background on the Zoo
According to its website, Johnsons of Old Hurst houses over 100 animals, including African lions, Bengal tigers, and crocodiles. The zoo's two largest crocodiles are named Romeo and Cuddles, as stated on their Facebook page.
Emergency Services and Official Comments
An East of England Ambulance Service spokesperson confirmed that an ambulance, rapid response vehicle, ambulance officer vehicle, and Magpas air ambulance attended the scene. The child was transported by road to the hospital.
A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said, "Our thoughts are with the victim and their family, but as this is a live police investigation, we cannot comment further."
Charlotte Lowe, a Huntingdonshire district councillor, expressed disbelief at how the incident occurred, noting that the enclosure had appropriate safety measures in place.
