Mia Williams
The family of a three-year-old boy who was allegedly thrown into a crocodile enclosure at the zoo have revealed the extent of his injuries in an update.
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk, UK, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the incident on June 18, after the toddler sustained serious injuries.
Police questioning following the horrifying ordeal revealed that the suspect has learning disabilities, and was on a trip with carers at the time of the alleged attack.
The little boy's parents remain at his side in hospital following weeks of treatment and surgeries, and have today (July 17) issued an update on his condition.
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His grandmother, who set up a GoFundMe for the family, wrote: "Today our son had his seventh surgery. In that surgery, the surgeons completed a nerve graft on his left arm.
"They harvested a nerve from his leg to replace part of the nerve that was missing in his left arm. Over time, this nerve will hopefully embed and help our son to regain some function in his left hand."
She added: "We won’t know whether the nerve graft has been successful until tests can be carried out in a few months' time."
Following the attack, the boy suffered damage to numerous tendons, blood vessels, and tissue in his arms, neck, head, and face.
The three-year-old required emergency surgery, which lasted a total of 12 hours, immediately after he was admitted to the Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.
"The surgeons performed miraculous things," his grandma noted.
"Those were the worst 12 hours of our lives, as before that, we were signing consent forms involving resuscitation and amputation.
"We were unsure if our son was going to make it and that was the worst feeling in the world."
Following the health update, she confirmed that the little one is now in a stable condition, and the family hope to welcome him back home soon.
She noted: "The cheeky little boy that we love so much is talking to the nurses, playing using his feet and smiling again. We are amazed at how far he has come.
"We are not at the end of our journey but are hopeful that today's surgery will be the last for now, which means if everything goes well, we will be able to go home soon."