The carers of a man suspected of throwing a three-year-old boy into a crocodile enclosure at a zoo near Huntingdon had been 'on their phones' earlier in the day, according to a report.
Incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst
A 30-year-old man from Norfolk was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the incident at Johnsons of Old Hurst on Thursday afternoon. Cambridgeshire Police stated on Friday that the suspect had been 'assessed as not being fit for interview' and has been released on bail until September 18.
The boy, who was not known to the man, remains in a critical but stable condition at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. It is understood that he was attacked by at least one crocodile after allegedly being thrown into the enclosure.
Witness Accounts
Police were called to the zoo at 1:24 pm on Thursday by the ambulance service, who reported that a three-year-old boy had suffered serious injuries. The boy was pulled from the enclosure by zoo staff. Tracey Johnson, the wife of the zoo owner, reportedly jumped into the enclosure to rescue him.
The Sun reported that the suspect has learning difficulties and had been on a trip with carers. A woman in her 20s told the newspaper: 'I don't know if it was definitely him but I saw one bloke of a bigger build. He had two carers with him and they weren't paying him much attention. If it was him, his carers were maybe ten metres behind him and not paying much attention. They were English and chatting among themselves and on their phones.'
Zoo Response and Community Shock
In a statement on social media, Johnsons said Tropical House - the building in which the crocodiles are kept - would remain closed until further notice 'out of respect to the family'. The zoo is set off a rural lane in the village of Old Hurst and boasts a tea room, farm shop and steakhouse. It is home to more than 100 animals, including lions, tigers, sloth bears, capybaras and meerkats.
Mike Annicelli, 52, who lives close to the zoo and has previously visited the crocodile enclosure, said: 'Everything is elevated, you're far away from the animals.' He noted there was a 'raised platform' and estimated the crocodiles were about 15 feet below, adding that there is fencing along the walkways which he estimated at around 4 feet high.
Councillor Charlotte Lowe commented: 'This incident, I think it's shocked an awful lot of people, especially the locals.'
