The family of a three-year-old boy who was seriously injured in a crocodile enclosure at a UK zoo has shared an update on his condition more than two months after the incident. The child has been discharged from hospital and is settling back in at home.
The family said the three-year-old had returned home "a few weeks ago" and is "happy to be home, playing with his toys, sleeping in his own bed and being a big brother".
Incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo
The boy, who has not been named, was at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo, near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, on June 18 when he was left seriously injured. He was taken to hospital following the visit.
A man, 30, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident and was later bailed as police said he was "assessed as not being fit for interview". The suspect, from Norfolk, reportedly has learning difficulties and had been on a trip with carers, and an investigation has been launched into his care.
Family update on recovery
A GoFundMe page was set up for the family in the wake of the incident to help with costs relating to their son's rehabilitation and recovery, and has since raised over £113,000. In an update on the fundraiser, on Monday, his family said: "We have been a little quiet recently as our son was discharged from hospital a few weeks ago.
"Since then we have been spending some time adjusting and settling back in at home. He is happy to be home, playing with his toys, sleeping in his own bed and being a big brother. It is nice to have us all back together in the comfort of our own home."
They added that the boy would continue his "rehabilitation journey" and they would "focus on ensuring our son has the best possible chance at recovery". The parents said: "Both of us will continue to stay by our son's side as we support him on his rehabilitation journey. We attend the hospital frequently to find out the next steps and we work on them together as a family. All of his immediate surgeries are over with for now which means we can now focus on rehabilitation at home."
Use of donations and thank-yous
They added that the money donated so far "has supported us financially to cover immediate costs such as our bills and mortgage", and "also allowed us to cover our loss of wages during this time".
The family added: "We have bought and gifted new toys to PICU and the children’s play team on the ward. He was very fond of the play team and they helped him be a little three year old boy by inventing new games and teaching him new ways to use his feet in play.
"We have also donated some money to the sick children’s trust - a charity to support families whose children are long term patients or in PICU." They said they also want to donate to the Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust (ACT) to thank staff who were part of their son's care "including the supply of superhero costumes to brighten up his day". In a previous update, the family said the boy had undergone seven operations.
