A three-year-old boy was rescued from a crocodile enclosure at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdon after being allegedly thrown in by a man on Thursday afternoon. The heroic intervention of zookeeper Tracey Johnson, 55, her husband Andrew, 56, and their son Edward, 29, saved the child's life.
Incident Details
The boy suffered serious injuries, including a broken arm and pelvis, and was bitten by at least one reptile—either a saltwater or Nile crocodile. The suspect, a 30-year-old man from Norfolk with learning difficulties, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but assessed as unfit for interview. He has been released on bail until September 18.
Tracey Johnson, who owns and runs the zoo with her husband, was the first to jump into the enclosure, which houses around 50 crocodiles. She was quickly joined by Andrew and Edward, who together freed the boy from the crocodile's grip and pulled him to safety.
Heroic Actions
Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, spoke to the Johnson family on Friday evening. He told The Sunday Times: "We mustn't underestimate how much of a difference Tracey made. She was first in there. She jumped in and dealt with an awful situation. She was then joined by her husband and son. It was a team effort."
Newman added: "They are a resilient family but they are distraught. Their thoughts and concerns are for the child."
Zoo and Crocodile Context
Johnsons of Old Hurst is home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras, and meerkats. The crocodile enclosure features a raised platform with fencing about 4ft high, and the drop to the crocodiles is approximately 15ft, according to local resident Mike Annicelli, 52.
Newman explained that although the crocodiles were raised in captivity, their natural instincts remain. "If something fell on one of the crocodiles, or if something fell close to it, it would bite," he said. However, the boy may have been spared because the reptiles are fed a diet of offal and offcuts from livestock, so the creature may not have immediately registered the child as food.
Expert Tribute
Newman, a friend of the Johnsons, previously told BBC Radio 4: "Oh I know Tracey very well, she is absolutely a lovely lady and I think we should recognise her actions as being incredibly heroic. But frankly it’s nothing short of what I would expect of her, that’s exactly what she would do, she is a very brave, very strong lady."
He added: "I know it would be incredibly difficult. At the moment I don’t know, I haven’t spoken to the family directly. I messaged them yesterday to offer my best wishes. I don’t know which enclosure it was but it’s about a 15ft drop so for her to get into there that quickly and save the child really is just a remarkable act of bravery."
