Zoo owners break silence after boy, 3, was allegedly thrown into crocodile enclosure
Emily Brown
Featured Image Credit: Johnsons of Old Hurst Zoo
Officials at Johnsons of Old Hurst zoo have issued a statement after a three-year-old boy was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure and attacked.
The statement comes after the alleged incident took place on June 18, when the young boy was said to have been thrown into the enclosure at the zoo in Cambridgeshire, UK, and sustained injuries while in there.
The incident led to the arrest of a 30-year-old man, who is believed to have learning difficulties and was taken into custody on suspicion of attempted murder.
The man has since been bailed until September 18, with police saying he was 'assessed as not being fit for interview'.
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Thankfully the three-year-old was quickly rescued and rushed to hospital, with the family speaking out this week to thank the staff at the zoo for their actions in saving their son.
The family said their attention 'remains focused on his recovery and supporting him through this extremely challenging and prolonged period of time', adding that they were 'truly grateful for the public support and well-wishes' they have received.
As details around the incident continue to come to light, the zoo itself released a statement on Facebook today (July 2).
In the statement, the team at the zoo said: "A fortnight ago, our family and team at Johnsons of Old Hurst experienced one of the most distressing incidents in our history.
"We were alerted to reports that a child had allegedly been thrown into one of our crocodile enclosures in the Tropical House.
"Everyone who was on site that day acted with incredible speed and determination. Within minutes of the first radio call, the child had been rescued from the enclosure and was receiving first aid. The emergency services arrived very quickly, supported by the MAGPAS Air Ambulance, and we cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, compassion and dedication in such difficult circumstances."
"We would also like to express our heartfelt thanks to the visitors who stepped forward to help, including off-duty paramedics and police officers, whose calm and immediate actions made a real difference." the statement continued.
"We are immensely proud of our own staff, who responded without hesitation and did everything they could to help and support the child until the emergency services took over. The kindness we have received from our local community and from people across the country has been overwhelming. Every message of support, every kind word and every expression of concern has meant a great deal to our family and our team during an incredibly difficult time. Thank you for standing with us.
"Above all, our thoughts remain with the young boy and his family. We continue to hope and pray for his speedy recovery and ask that they are given the privacy, compassion and support they need at this time."