A three-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after being allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure at Johnson's of Old Hurst zoo in Huntingdonshire. The zoo owner's wife reportedly jumped into the enclosure to rescue the child. A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Incident Details
Cambridgeshire Police were called at approximately 1:24 PM on Thursday to reports of an incident involving a three-year-old boy who ended up in the crocodile enclosure. The boy was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with serious injuries and remained in a critical but stable condition overnight.
A local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Press Association that the zoo owner's wife, Tracey Johnson, entered the enclosure to rescue the youngster. Detective Inspector Verity McCann stated: "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. We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other."
Zoo Response
In a social media statement, Johnson's announced that Tropical House will remain closed until further notice "out of respect to the family." The statement added: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today."
The ambulance service confirmed that an ambulance, a rapid response vehicle, an ambulance officer vehicle, and an air ambulance were dispatched to the scene. A uniformed police officer was stationed at an entrance to the site on Thursday evening, with a marked police car visible in the car park.
Witness Accounts
Mike Annicelli, 52, who lives near the zoo, said he had previously visited and always felt safe. He described the crocodile enclosure as having a "raised platform" with crocodiles around 15 feet below and fencing approximately 4 feet high along the walkways. Local councillor Charlotte Lowe expressed shock, saying: "I can't fathom how it's happened because they've got all the right protection and safety equipment."
Community Reaction
Ben Obese-Jecty, the MP for Huntingdon, said: "I am aware of the incident at Johnson's of Old Hurst and have been liaising with senior officers at Gold Command who are treating this as a critical incident. This is now a live criminal investigation and I would ask people to refrain from speculation online."
Alastair Torrance, deputy chairman of Old Hurst Parish Council, commented: "I do feel enormously for the family of the child. It must've been absolutely terrible for the child and the family." A spokesperson for Huntingdonshire District Council urged the public not to speculate while inquiries are ongoing.
Background on the Zoo
Johnson's of Old Hurst is home to over 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras, and meerkats. The crocodiles are housed in a tropical house facility inside a converted cattle shed. According to the zoo's website, the Johnson family has cared for crocodiles for over 20 years, and the crocodiles were originally introduced to dispose of surplus meat from the butchery before becoming the foundation of the zoo.
