A three-year-old boy who was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure by a stranger at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo in Cambridgeshire was attacked by at least one of the animals before being rescued by the zoo owner, her husband, and their son, according to reports.
Incident Details
The toddler fell 15 feet onto a concrete walkway inside the enclosure last Thursday (June 18). He was taken to Addenbrooke's hospital in a critical but stable condition, suffering a broken arm and pelvis. The boy remains hospitalized.
Tracey Johnson, 55, her husband Andrew, 56, and their son Edward, 29, jumped into the enclosure to pull the boy to safety. Chris Newman, director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, told The 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."
Heroic Rescue
Newman added: "She was then joined by her husband and son. It was a team effort. They are a resilient family but they are distraught. Their thoughts and concerns are for the child." At least one of the animals, which include a saltwater and Nile crocodile, reportedly attacked the boy but did not attempt to eat him.
Saltwater crocodiles have the strongest bite of any species. Although the animals were raised in captivity and seemingly less likely to attack, Newman noted that it is in their nature to react to potential threats. He told The Sun that the crocodiles are "extremely well fed" so he "wouldn't expect them to eat a child" but they could "bite a child if it landed on it or by it." He said without Tracey Johnson's heroism, the incident could have been "catastrophic."
Arrest and Investigation
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but was released on bail after an assessment of "not being fit for interview." Cambridgeshire Constabulary stated: "A three year-old boy from Cambridgeshire remains at Addenbrooke's hospital in a critical but stable condition following an incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst."
An unnamed woman in her 20s recalled: "We were sitting on a bench in the park between the bear and the crocodile enclosure. We heard a loud scream. Never in a million years did I think someone was in with the crocodiles. The whole zoo went really quiet and it felt really eerie."
Police confirmed the man is not known to the victim and that detectives from the major crime unit are conducting further inquiries.
