A three-year-old boy was severely injured after being thrown into a crocodile enclosure at a family-run zoo in Cambridgeshire. The incident occurred at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Huntingdon on Thursday afternoon. The suspect, a 30-year-old man, allegedly threw the child 15 feet into the pit, causing the boy to break his arm and pelvis upon hitting the concrete. The boy's family witnessed the horrifying event.
Rescue and Aftermath
Tracey Johnson, 55, the wife of the zoo owner, jumped into the enclosure to rescue the child. The boy remains in critical but stable condition. The suspect, who has hearing difficulties and is accompanied by two carers, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. He has since been released on bail until September and was deemed unfit for interview.
Witness Accounts
A witness told The Sun that the suspect's carers were not paying attention to him. A mother in her 20s said: 'I don't know if it was definitely him but I saw one bloke of a bigger build, he had two carers with him and they weren't paying him much attention. If it was him, his carers were maybe ten metres behind him and not paying much attention. They were English and chatting among themselves and on their phones.'
The number of crocodiles involved remains unclear. The zoo's Tropical House exhibit, which houses Nile crocodiles including Cuddles and Romeo weighing 127kg, will remain closed for the week. Signs at the zoo warn that children must be supervised at all times and not carried on shoulders. The zoo offers a 'meet and feed our snappy crocodile' session for £80.
