A three-year-old boy has been left seriously injured after he ended up in a crocodile enclosure at a UK zoo. Police have arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder following the distressing incident at Johnson's of Old Hurst, in Huntingdonshire.
Incident Details
The toddler was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital, where his condition was described as critical but stable. Cambridgeshire Constabulary said officers were called to the zoo at 1:24 PM on Thursday, June 18, following reports of an incident involving the boy, during which he ended up in the crocodile enclosure.
Arrest and Investigation
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. It is not believed he was known to the child. 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. Officers are supporting the boy's family at hospital, and our thoughts remain with them.
Community Response
Huntingdon MP Ben Obese-Jecty expressed his thoughts were with the young victim and his family. He wrote on social media: 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. The police will provide an update with further information in due course. My thoughts are with the young victim and his family during a hugely traumatic and difficult time.
